Ugly Christmas Sweater
by iwilltry-tocarryon
Summary: AU Charloe, hints of possible Miloe, holiday stories. They can be read as a series of one-shots or you can read them together, I think they'd make sense either way (this is the first story I've published, I mostly just wanted to write holiday prompts so I may do more! Also as of the current chapter I changed the rating to M just to be sure)
1. Ugly Christmas Sweater

"Miles, no offense man, but I really don't want to come with you to see Ben and Rachel." Bass sat on the couch, beer in his right hand, and the TV remote in the other hand as Miles stood before him with a confused look on his face. He had given Bass no warning when he showed up demanding that he hurry up and get dressed otherwise they were going to be late for dinner.

"What why not? They like you more than they like me, plus you haven't seen Charlie or Danny in years, they'll be excited to see you." He thought about the last time he had seen both of Rachel's children, recalling it was before he and Miles left. He couldn't remember how old either of them were, but they were both very young. It's not that he didn't want to see them, in fact he was almost excited at the prospect of seeing Charlotte, he remembered how sassy she was as a child and could only imagine the attitude she had acquired as she aged. He figured she could probably give Miles a run for his money and take away his title of 'The Most Stubborn Matheson.'

"I'm just not in the holiday mood this year," or any other year for that matter since his parents and his sisters' died. He had become the Grinch of Christmas, and usually Miles didn't fight him on the subject, but this year he just wasn't giving up.

"Well I don't give a damn, you're coming with me. You can't just sit at home every year during the holidays and mope. Only one of us can be the devilishly handsome yet brooding one and that's me, so get your shit together we're gonna be late and Rachel will be pissed."

Great Miles was forcing him to join in on the holiday festivities and causing them to be late and endure Rachel's wrath. Not that he was afraid of Rachel, he wasn't…mostly, but she could be one scary lady if the occasion called for it. Miles had already headed for the door when Bass sighed loud enough for him to hear it and called after him, "all right, but if there isn't booze at this shindig I'm forever holding it against you. It's bad enough that I have to eat Rachel's cooking, but if I have to listen to you two bicker I at least better be drunk."

He attempted to tame his unruly curls, while putting on jeans and a decent shirt, trying to hurry since Miles was waiting impatiently at the door, "any day now princess," he heard Miles bellow from the living room. Bass just took his sweet ass time lacing up his boots and zipping up his leather jacket, "well dickhead if you would've given a brother some notice maybe I would've been ready." That wouldn't have been true even if Bass had been given time, he was a last minute kind of person, he never got in a hurry or felt rushed. "I've been telling you for weeks we were going so don't even give me that shit."

Bass emerged from the top of the stairs and just snorted a laughter, "yeah we, I thought you meant you and that mouse in your pocket, considering I said no the first five times you asked. You could always go and I'll meet you there." Miles rolled his eyes and motioned Bass to hurry up and get out the door, "yeah right and run the risk of you not showing up, you're my buffer against Rachel, you're going so put some pep in your step and put your most cheerful holiday face on."

"I'll just mimic your face," Bass muttered underneath his breath as he passed by Miles out the door. When the realization caught up with him halfway down the driveway he spun around and glared at Miles, "your buffer? You're only bringing me along because you still feel guilty about having an affair with your brother's wife. Guess that means neither of you had the balls to tell Ben yet. Happy fucking holidays to me." Miles just sighed as they continued on towards the car, "look it isn't like that, it's just complicated ok? We were going to tell him, but shit Bass, I mean where do we even begin? Besides it's over with."

He could tell Miles was getting worked up about it so he tried to ease the tension, "well it's not like I'm a moral compass to guide you now am I?" He knew Miles would understand his reference, they practically shared a brain, and when Miles grinned, he knew he remembered the instance Bass was talking about.

They didn't talk again in the car; they let the comfortable silence surround them until they finally arrived their destination.

The Matheson house was just as Bass remembered it, only now it was covered in a couple foot of glisteningly bright snow, which reflected the colorful lights strung across the house. The yard was filled with blow up reindeers, Santas, elves, you name it. He must've been staring at the house because Miles just laughed and let out a low whistle, "Charlie must've been busy, Danny told me earlier that she was going around and making everyone get in the holiday spirit by assigning them decorating tasks. Wonder which unfortunate soul had to decorate the yard."

For some reason this made Bass smile as he thought about little bossy Charlotte going around handing out tasks, while she supervised them, she was so much like Miles it was uncanny. Both of them employed the 'work smarter not harder' motto, which usually involved making some other poor chump do the work while they watched.

The snow crunched underneath their feet as they made their way to the front door, not even bothering to knock before the door flung open to reveal a tall blonde haired kid standing before them with a grin on his face from ear to ear. He engulfed Miles in a hug immediately and Bass knew it had to be Danny, only he looked so much different from the last time Bass saw him. Now he was grown up, he might've called him a kid in his head, but he looked about 16 and almost as tall as Miles.

Once Danny released Miles he headed straight for Bass, "hey Bass, Miles said you were coming too, it's so good to see you." Bass returned the hug and smiled, "it's good to see you too kid, you shot up, pretty soon you'll be taller than Miles." Miles groaned and shooed them both inside, "funny, let's take this reunion inside it's too damn cold out here."

"Good thing you guys showed up when you did, you can save me from Charlie, she's going around the house like a madwoman, decorating everything in her path. Nothing and no one is safe."

They thought Danny was just being dramatic, but when they stepped inside and took in the lavish decorations that covered the ceiling to the floor they knew he wasn't kidding. Danny just laughed out loud at their awestruck faces, "careful if you're caught staring too long she'll swoop in and make you decorate something or put on a holiday sweater."

"I don't know why everyone is complaining, sheesh what are you all Grinches?"

Danny didn't turn to look at his sister, but both Miles and Bass turned to where the voice came from inside the kitchen. Charlie stood just an inch shorter than her brother; her long light brown hair cascaded in waves and was pulled around the right side of her body. Speaking of her body, Bass took in every curve of her body, the way her dark red v-neck shirt molded against her chest, the way her jeans hugged tightly to her hips in all the right places, which caused his to feel a tightening in his jeans.

He shook those thoughts out of his head quickly before they could escalade, this was Miles' niece, Ben and Rachel's daughter, but standing before him, he saw nothing but a beautiful woman.

"Kid I think you've outdone yourself this time, is there anything else left to decorate?" Miles laughed but Charlie narrowed her eyes at him, "keep talking and I'll go find those ugly Christmas sweaters Danny was talking about and make you wear them."

Bass laughed, this was the Charlotte he remembered. She made her way over to Miles who was rolling his eyes at her threat with a smile on his face as he held out his arms for her. Miles always had a soft spot for Charlie; she was the closest thing he had to a daughter. He would always tell Bass about Charlie whenever he heard any news and from everything he heard, Charlie was just like Miles. She was more like Miles than Rachel or Ben, which always made Miles skeptical granted Bass never heard him question if he was Charlie's father. Bass could just tell by the look in his eyes when he talked about their similarities that he was putting the pieces together.

He had been zoning out when he felt a warm body pressed up against his, it took him a minute to register it was Charlie, but he immediately wrapped his arms around her, "it's good to see you Charlotte."

He felt her laughter as she pulled back just enough to look at his face, "Charlie, it's Charlie, Sebastian." She threw his full name out in a teasing manner as she smirked, but neither fazed him, "I seem to recall someone demanding to be called Charlotte because that was the name on her birth certificate."

He only saw Charlie a handful of times maybe, but every time she would make a point that her name was Charlotte no matter how many times everyone would shorten it to Charlie, "well maybe I outgrew it, it's a quite a mouthful don't you think?"

He couldn't tell if Charlie was flirting with him, but she wouldn't flirt with him right? She wouldn't see him as anything but another uncle figure, hell he was old enough to be her uncle. Her real uncle was his best friend, no, she wasn't flirting, but the gleam in her eye told another story.

Miles chose the perfect moment to break up their conversation, making him realize how close they still were, "ok you two, quit making goo-goo eyes at my niece Bass, let's go find those beers."

The nonchalant, joking attitude in Miles' voice told Bass he was just making a dig at him, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt when he thought back to before when he was all but undressing her with his eyes.

Charlie stepped aside so they could make their way into the kitchen as she brought up the rear. Rachel was already in there putting the finishing touches on the pie she was putting in the oven for after dinner. When she heard them come in she stood up straight and smiled at them both as she dusted off the remaining flour on her hands, "you both are looking well, glad you could make it. I know Ben will be happy too."

Speaking of Ben, neither of them had noticed before that he wasn't to be seen, Charlie answered the unspoken question, "he was called into work for a bit. He should be home soon though."

Miles scoffed, he knew his brother, all work and no play, he wasn't really surprised that he wasn't even taking a holiday off to spend with his family. Rachel would often complain to Miles about the amount of time Ben spent away from his family, maybe in her mind that was her justification for cheating on him with his brother.

Before he could start Rachel interrupted in a low voice so neither kids who were setting the table could hear, "Miles don't start this is supposed to be a nice family dinner, just please, for the sake of Charlie and Danny, keep your opinions to yourself. I know that will just eat you alive, but suck it up."

She spun on her heel and went about preparing the food for the table, Bass who remained silent during the whole thing went to help, but Rachel steered him in the direction of the food that setting on the island, "help Charlie put the rest of the food on the table will you Bass?"

Charlie looked up at him from the corner of her eye, then continued on about her business, he could tell she was baiting him for some reason so he played along, "so Charlie how old are you now 17, 18?"

She laughed and shook her head, "22, but I guess you were kind of close."

It dawned on him then that they missed her 21 birthday, Miles had never mentioned that, "wow look at you, all grown up. Are you going to school?"

He swore he saw her movements falter but she continued, "Yeah U of Chicago for right now, I live in a place off campus."

"What are you studying?"

This time he knew he saw her jaw tense, but she recovered quickly, "English and creative writing."

"If I had a say in the matter she would be focusing on a subject that would be more likely to get her a job after graduation instead of spending the rest of her life trying to climb out of debt."

When Rachel made that comment Bass knew why Charlie reacted the way she did before.

"Well maybe I like digging holes that I can't get out of, I'm sure you can understand, digging a big hole for yourself and then trying to climb out can't you mom?" Charlie's piercing eyes were focused on Rachel, but they slid to Miles for a faction of a second who was leaning against the refrigerator door, sipping on his beer. When his eyes met hers, he had a questionable look, but when he realized Charlie must've found out about the affair he choked on his beer and spilt some on his jacket sleeve.

She shook her head and finished setting the table, working silently around Bass until he spoke up again, "you know I always wanted to major in history."

When she didn't say anything but look at him from underneath her lashes he continued, "if I hadn't joined the Marines with jackass over there that's what I would've done. Couldn't have made a career out of that either." He smiled, which caught on and caused Charlie to crack a smile that spread from one corner of her mouth to another. She rolled her eyes, but the mood instantly changed, except for Rachel and Miles who were so wrapped up in their own dark secret neither of them could see the blossoming between Charlie and Bass.

Danny though, he could see it all, and ideas started to form in his mind.

They didn't have long to develop because shortly after they heard the front door opening and slam shut from the wind. Seconds later Ben emerged from the front door, full on smile on his face as he embraced his brother, "good to see you Miles, sorry I wasn't here when you got here. I would've been home sooner, but the roads are getting really icy out."

He let go of Miles as he walked over the Bass and embraced him in the same way as Miles before, "Bass, man, so glad you came too, Mile said you were coming but he also said you might not because you aren't a big fan of the holidays."

This statement surprised Charlie who cried out, "not a fan of the holidays? What's not to like about them? Man, if I had known you didn't like them I really would have made you wear the Christmas sweater, that would've gotten you in the spirit."

"Thanks for the invite Ben, you know I love free food and free beer," Bass tried to laugh off Charlie's question about why he didn't like the holidays but he could tell she wasn't one to drop subjects.

"Wait, why don't like the holidays?"

Bass could see Miles from the corner of his eyes, shuffling back and forth awkwardly trying to come up with some way to intervene on Bass' behalf, but he turned to answer Charlie instead, "I don't know I'm just not one for having to decorate and that Santa guy is pretty creepy if you think about it, squeezing into people's chimney's uninvited and shit."

Even though Charlie could tell there was another reason, she laughed at the Santa bit and nodded, "ok point, but you're still wearing the sweater."

Before Bass even had time to say anything she was gone from the kitchen, her boots could be heard as they stomped up the stairs. He then turned to plead with Danny, "she isn't serious right? You weren't serious when you said she had ugly Christmas sweaters for us to wear?"

Danny burst out into a fit of laughter and when Bass surveyed the room and everyone else was smiling or trying to bite back a laugh he knew this was a typical Charlie move.

"Hate to break it to you, but I never joke about Charlie, she'll force you into the Christmas spirit one way or another. Plus I think she just wants someone to wear the sweater and you basically volunteered yourself." Danny shook his head and clapped a hand over his shoulder in mock sympathy.

"Hold on a damn minute, I didn't sign myself up for anything."

Miles was full on laughing now from his permanent place by the refrigerator, "well brother looks like you did," he motioned his head to where Charlie was standing at the entrance of the kitchen with the most hideous looking sweater in her hands. It was long sleeves, cream colored, with an obnoxious picture of Santa on the front saying 'ho ho ho' and reindeers at the back.

Unconsciously Bass scrunched up his nose at the sweater, could she not have picked something without that creepy white haired dude on the front?

"I picked the one with Santa on it just for you, seeing as though you have a fascination for him." It was as though she could read his mind, he looked up at her, but she wasn't backing down. She held the sweater out at arm's length and shoved it further out so he would come and get it, but two could play at that game. He stood on the other side of the room with his arms folded over his chest.

After a few minutes she gave in and met him the rest of the way and put the sweater on his crossed arms, "you're going to get into the Christmas spirit Grinch, put the sweater on and tell me it doesn't make you 10 times happier."

He didn't know why he was humoring her, of course putting a sweater on wasn't going to change anything, he still wasn't going to be in the mood, but his arms were moving without his accord, discarding his leather jacket on the chair behind him. Once his jacket was off, he pulled the sweater up and over his head. Instantly his eyes met Charlie in defiance to tell her that he didn't feel anymore cheerful than before, but one look at her beaming face when he put the sweater on changed his answer.

When he didn't say anything, but crack a light smile, Charlie pumped one fist in the air and turned around, "see Danny I told you these would come in handy. Granted I thought I would have to use them on people as punishment for misbehaving, and I assumed Miles would be the first to end up wearing one."

Miles' voice echoed from the front of the kitchen, "hey I resent that!"

Charlie laughed, "yeah but you didn't refute it now did you?"

Miles thought a minute but he knew she was right, "but I would've made sure I didn't get in trouble if it meant looking like that idiot over there."

He pointed his thumb in Bass' direction, which earned him a glare from Bass, Charlie however turned to look at Bass so that no one else could see her face, they could only hear her say "well I think he looks nice, cheerful even."

Danny laughed from his place beside Miles, "That's only because you picked the sweater."

She was still looking at Bass, but when her brother's voice broke through the connection she turned back to them and nodded, "damn right, I've got good taste."

Miles was full on smiling at her, biting back the urge to throw an insult Bass' way out of fear of ending up in the same predicament, "I think you're right kid, that sweater really does bring out his eyes."

"Yeah that sweater fits you nice Bass, like it was made for you, fits in all the right places" no sooner had Danny said that did he and Miles both burst out into laughter not able to contain it any longer. Bass narrowed his eyes at both of them, but neither was paying him any attention due to being doubled over in fits of laughter.

Charlie threw her hands up in the air and feigned exasperation, "that's it! You're both getting Christmas sweaters."

That made both of them straighten up and cut their laughter short, "come on kid we were just messing with him." Danny shook his head and backed away from her as she continued her flight back upstairs to retrieve more ugly sweaters for the offenders.

"You can't be serious, I'm not wearing a sweater Charlie, it's not my fault Miles is a bad influence," she heard Danny's pleading voice at the bottom of the staircase and it made Charlie smile when she heard Miles exclaim from the kitchen, "hey you started it, you were whispering and making jokes about the Santa on his sweater."

They were still arguing about who started what when she arrived back in the kitchen with two sweaters in her hands, "I don't care who started it, you did the crime so now you have to wear the sweaters."

Bass took in her face and how jolly it made her look to be able to dish out punishments if she wasn't so Charlie he would've found it oddly creepy how much pleasure she was getting out of laying down the rules and enforcing them.

"Kid nothing you could do or say would make me wear this hideous thing and look like that dumbass over there."

"Miles I've seen you wear worse things, remember that hand knit scarf you wore once?"

"That's not fair, your grandmother made that before she died."

"Doesn't mean it wasn't ugly, besides I've taken the liberty of hiding the rest of the beer, so if you want to find it you'll put the sweater on."

This got Miles to moving a little faster towards the refrigerator as flung it open to find that she wasn't bluffing. He groaned and made a pitiful face, before caving and snatching the sweater from her hands and pulling it over his head quickly, "there are you happy now?"

No one is certain who started laughing first, but all of the sudden everyone was laughing, even Rachel and Ben who were sitting back watching their playful argument. Miles made a face and rolled his eyes at them, "yeah yeah, to hell with you all, where's that beer I'm going to need to get drunk if I have to look like this all night."

Charlie continued laughed and pointed to the fridge, "it's in the bottom shelf, I didn't even hide it, I just knew you'd be too lazy to bend down and look."

"Ah hell, you know me too well kid."


	2. Return of the Christmas Sweater

Three days had passed since the dinner at Rachel's house. Three days where Bass had been trying not to think about Charlie. How she looked, how she smiled at him, how happy he felt, which was the happiest he had been in a long time. Three days, but he wasn't counting or anything. Needless to say all of his efforts were in vain, because there he was yet again, propped up on the couch on a Friday night after declining multiple offers from beautiful women, having an internal argument with himself about one particular off limits woman.

It did help that he hadn't seen Miles since that night either, it gave Bass more time to get his hormonal teenage self under control before he blabbed to Miles in some drunken stupor all the explicit thoughts he had about his niece. Speaking of Miles they were supposed to get together tonight, as per their usual Friday night routine, but he called earlier informing Bass that he wouldn't be able to make it tonight.

If Bass had been thinking clearly at the time he would've found it strange that Miles was so vague on the phone, but Bass was more worried about slipping up and saying "hey man I kind of think your niece is hot, and not in the 'oh she's pretty,' but more in the 'I want to fuck her,' way." He was used to him and Miles talking about women, but somehow he doubted that would blow over very well, course maybe since Miles was so distracted by whatever it was, he wouldn't even register Bass' comment and then Bass wouldn't feel so guilty.

That of course was just a nicely thought out pipe dream, no way was Bass going to take that chance, he liked having all of his bodily organs inside where they belonged.

He didn't have long to ponder over Miles' weirder than normal behavior, when speak of the devil, he came barreling through the door. Bass was used to Miles just barging in, but the door flew open with such a force that Bass stood up from the couch suddenly determined that it wasn't Miles He was relieved for a moment to see that it was him, but then he took notice of Miles' frantic and uneasy body language.

For a moment time stood still, Bass thought of all the horrible things that could've happened, his mind going back to his parents and sisters and the night of the crash. Then when Miles seemed to calm down he knew it must've not been that bad. Miles was usually calm in most cases, but other times he panicked more than Rachel, which was saying something. Bass remembered when he heard the story about Rachel locking Charlie and Danny in the car one day, for maybe all of 5 minutes, and her using an axe to try to cut through the driver door, only to realize she had the keys in her pocket the whole time.

If it wasn't as extreme as that, then Bass had no idea what the problem was which started to panic him even more, fearing the worst: that he somehow found out about his muddled feelings for Charlie. Miles didn't leave him hanging long when he exclaimed, "we told Ben."

There was no explanation needed, Bass knew what Miles meant and why he was so distant lately, that couldn't have been easy.

"Look man if this is about what I was saying before dinner, you know I was kidding right? I didn't mean to twist your arm and screw up the family dynamic they had going on." Bass felt kind of bad for a moment when he thought it was his fault, leave it to Miles to choose that one time to actually listen to his idiotic self.

Miles shook his head and Bass let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "don't worry jackass, like I would ever take advice from you, no we've been meaning to and I just couldn't do it any longer. That sneaking around teenager shit is for the birds. I'm too old to be hiding and creeping around in bushes."

"I won't argue with you on that one. Not only is the idea of you creeping around, well, creepy, but I'm pretty sure if you squatted down in a bush you wouldn't be able to get back up without help."

Bass laughed but Miles only smiled lightly which told Bass there was more to the story, "so how did Ben take it?"

Miles grimaced this time, "well if you're asking my eye, it would say he was pretty pissed."

That's when Bass noticed for the first time that he had a bruise starting to form around his entire eye. He couldn't control the laughter that bubbled up, "I know it isn't funny, but come on, look at your face. I'm just trying to picture Ben actually hitting someone and in every scenario it ends in me laughing."

"Trust me I wouldn't have believed it myself, but I have the battle wounds to prove it. I almost would've preferred taking the hit versus Danny blowing up in our faces, I felt like I was being scolded by my parents, who are probably rolling over in their graves as we speak. We had to tell them too though, didn't feel right."

That stilled Bass; he hated to think about how happy Charlie had been that night, minus a few mishaps with Rachel, only to picture her now finding out about her uncle and her mother having an affair.

It must've been as worse as Bass imagined because Miles nodded his head in silent affirmation, "yep, it is as bad as it sounds. Although Charlie was calm, like eerily calm about the whole thing, she's like a ticking time bomb, I'm waiting for her to go off."

Bass nodded and motioned for Miles to close the door and come inside, "well no need worrying about it until it happens. Sit down we can have a beer or two."

Miles closed the door he had forgotten was still ajar and just laughed, "I think I'm going to need something stronger than just a beer, and more than just one."

Bass laughed as he went into the kitchen emerging moments later with a bottle of dark brown amber and two crystal tumbler glasses, "I'm pretty sure one has never meant one, nor has beer ever really meant beer."

Within in an hour Miles was sufficiently hammered to the point where Bass had stopped drinking a long time ago, but Miles didn't even notice he was so drunk, "I don't know what it is about Rachel, she can be a heinous bitch sometimes, but damn man, I think I might love her."

Bass spit some of his drink out; this was a big deal for Miles who didn't do love. He ran at the first sign of love, hell he would run faster at the idea of love than he would at a fight in battle. The closest he ever came was a girl named Nora, almost as much of a sarcastic asshole as Miles was, but a lot prettier than Miles.

Bass didn't have time to respond before Miles was going off again in his slurred, drunken ramble, "it's seriously fucked up man, but I can't stop it. She's just got the hair and the eyes, you know?"

Bass just laughed, "yeah, yeah she does have hair and eyes I will give you that."

Miles rolled his eyes, "oh shut up idiot, you know what I'm trying to say."

Truthfully Bass had no idea what Miles saw in Rachel, sure he liked Rachel enough, but he never noticed anything special about her, besides the fact that she could be bossy and controlling, not in the playful way that Charlie had been.

He was brought back to the present when Miles started talking again, but this time it was rushed and instantly more sober sounding "Rachel? Slow down, what's going on? What do you mean Charlie's not there?"

Bass' heart started to pound so loud in his chest he was sure Miles was going to hear it and question him about it, but Miles was too engrossed to pay him any attention, "I'm sure she's fine, she's a big girl Rachel, is she at school?"

Whereas before Miles was calm about the whole thing, something Rachel said must've changed his mind because he instantly came to an upright position, "I'm going out to look for her now."

He brought the phone away from his ear and Bass could hear Rachel shouting at him to make sure he called when he got in touch with Charlie, but Miles simply clicked the phone shut and went about trying to stumble and find his keys and coat.

"Miles you can't drive like this, I know you sobered up mostly, but I-I can't let you drive like this."

Miles turned around intending to lash out about him and his technicalities when he got a glimpse of Bass' face and knew he was thinking about the drunk driver that hit his family. Miles' face hesitantly relaxed and he gave up the hunt for his keys and sat back down, still frantically searching through his phone, "Rachel said that Mt. Not-So-Saint Charlie erupted today and she has been gone ever since. Not answering calls or texts. I'm going to give you her number, if I can't go look for her at least you can, maybe she'll listen to you, so try to say something sentimental and all that."

Anything Bass would've said had to be better than Miles trying to comfort someone. He was about as comforting as hot water against a bad case of sunburn, might help eventually, but the first day it only stung like a bitch.

He winced internally when he took Charlie's number from Miles; he neglected to tell him he was going to harbor her phone number for his own selfish reasons. That was probably best saved for another time, and another bottle of whiskey.

He quickly threw on his boots and coat, so fast that Miles grabbed his head and groaned as he laid down on the couch, "you're moving too fast, you're becoming a blurry blob of blonde hair."

"Well that's a first, usually you bitch about how slow I am," Bass said as he grabbed his keys from the table beside the door, "oh by the way your keys were in your hand while you were looking for them."

All he saw was Miles' middle finger shoot up from his place on the couch, which made Bass laugh as he shut the door behind him.

He attempted to call Charlie four or five times, while he was driving, but he gave up for a minute hoping that maybe she would take it upon herself to call back. Instead he tried to focus on where she would be, where would she go, but he came up empty every time because he didn't know all that much about it.

It clicked in his head though that she was so like Miles, so he switched his train of thought to where would Miles go. It wasn't all that hard to determine, a bar.

They lived in Chicago, but the amount of bars that Miles was an actual fan of was limited, and Bass knew for a fact that Miles had told Charlie about one of his favorites in the city.

Even though she was pissed, most likely at Miles, Bass knew she would be there, and sure enough he was right. He could tell her from a mile away when he entered the bar.

He approached the bar where she was sitting, but if she noticed him she didn't indicate it.

"I could spot a Matheson anywhere, I have an identical one of you laying in the exact same position on the couch at my house," Bass commented taking in Charlie's position, forehead plastered on the counter cradling a drink in one hand and resting the side of her head on the other hand.

All she did was groan, which fueled Bass' laughter, "yep same noises and all, carbon copy of Miles."

At this comment Charlie sat up, probably too fast because she let go of her drink and brought the hand up to her head in order to stabilize her vision, "well if you haven't heard you may just be right about that. But I'm sure you already knew about my mom and Miles, of course he would tell you and not anyone else."

A bitter tone laced the last statement and Bass couldn't help but feel sad for her, Miles was the most important male figure in her life besides her dad, and he didn't even have the decency to tell her about what happened. He owed that much to her.

"Don't look at me like that!" She suddenly snapped at him, "Don't look at me with pity, just because you and Miles are besties and I got left out of the club. What's that stupid saying, bros over hoes, or whatever?" She sighed a went back to her drink at hand, "it could be worse right? There are worse things than finding out that my mom and Miles had an affair? That I could be his daughter?"

Bass laughed lightly "well I don't know, if I find out I was related to Miles I would be pretty pissed. I mean who would really want to be his daughter, have you met the guy?" He was trying to break the ice, but it didn't have the desired effect he was hoping for.

In his mind he was trying to, not only make her feel better, but also himself. It would be a lot easier if he didn't have to think of Charlie as maybe Miles' daughter, it was hard enough when she was his niece.

She downed the rest of her drink, not bothering to answer Bass as she signaled for another round, but Bass stepped in and motioned to the bartender that she was cut off. He nodded in Bass' direction and went about serving another customer which infuriated Charlie until she realized it was Bass' fault.

She spun around with a furious look in her eye, "hey I don't need you here, no one asked for you to crash my pity party and take it upon yourself to be my jiminy cricket. I don't stop you from having a good time, so I'd appreciate the same. I don't need you to take care of me. I'm fine."

"A cricket? You're lumping me together with a cricket?"

Out of everything she had said, that's the only thing Bass seemed to get out of her rant, which didn't help his cause so he tried again, "I know you don't need me Charlie, I didn't show up tonight because you needed me. I came because Miles needs you. He needed someone to make sure you were okay. He was really worried, so is your mom."

Charlie snorted an incredulously laugh, "Well maybe he should've thought about that before he went and screwed my mom and made family reunions a lot more complicated. 'Oh who is this?' 'Oh him, this is my uncle/father, my mom is married to his brother they just had an affair, but I'm his biological daughter.' God, we should be on some Jerry Springer show because this is seriously fucked up."

As funny as her impersonations were, he knew that she didn't actually take any of this as a joke, so he had to fight not to smile.

He also refrained from telling her that Miles had said the same thing, mostly because, he feared one more statement about their similarities would earn him a black eye to match Miles'.

"You're pissed, I get that, I can't say I would be any different, but at least don't lie to yourself, this isn't your idea of fun, your idea of fun is running a dictatorship where the task is Christmas decoration and insubordination results in the ultimate price of wearing butt ugly itchy sweaters. Plus tomorrow you're going to feel like shit."

Charlie laughed as she put her head in her hands, elbows propped up on the counter, "I've never been into the holidays. I only put on a show this year because I knew something was up; mom isn't good at hiding anything. I just wanted to have a good Christmas before a showdown took place. I wanted Danny to have nothing but good Christmas memories."

"Charlie not all memories are going to be good, if they were, then we wouldn't appreciate them. Bad memories are necessary in order for us to realize how good we have it, how precious time is," his voice waivered at the end thinking about his family, which Charlie picked up on.

Instead of probing him about it further she sighed, and then laughed, "I just spent $40 here to get a buzz, you're killing it with all your philosophical mumbo jumbo."

Bass smiled a genuine smile "tell you what, if you leave this dump with me now, I promise I will pay you back."

He didn't mean it as anything other than a friendly gesture, but the smirk that formed on Charlie's face told him that she was thinking of a different type of payment, "alright but I expect my payment in full."

His jaw unconsciously tensed at the implication but he found himself nodding. She stood up from her barstool, obviously still feeling a buzz before she wobbled on her feet before she steadied herself.

She saw Bass' hand shoot out, but he retracted it just as quickly once he was sure she had things under control, "I'm telling Miles you said his favorite place was a dump."

Bass scoffed as he ushered her out of the back entrance and towards his car, he already planned on driving her home and sending Miles or someone to get her car later, "right like I'm afraid of Miles, he just got socked in the face by your father, Ben. If you had known Ben growing up you'd be laughing as much as I am."

Even though she didn't know why he was laughing, that didn't stop her from joining in, even after they reached the car and she settled inside. She left her house in such a hurry she forgot a jacket, and her buzz was wearing off which meant she wasn't as warm as before.

Bass noticed her slight shivering and turned the heat on, but he knew it would take time. He reached in the back, digging around for something, until he felt the wool in between his fingers.

He tossed the sweater to Charlie who laughed and shook her head, "I'm not wearing this sweater, and it's supposed to be a punishment." She took in all of the horrible decorations of the sweater, almost feeling bad she made Bass wear it, it really was god-awful.

"Well consider this your punishment for me having to chase you around town half the night," Bass said as sweetly as he could.

Charlie put on her most pitiful face that she had no doubt learned from Miles, "I think my hangover tomorrow is going to punishment enough don't you think? Beside why do you still have it? I thought you said Santa looked creepy, have you two formed a bond after being so close to one another?"

Bass disregarded her second question and only laughed, "put the sweater on and tell me you don't feel 10 times happier."

He threw her earlier words back at her, smiling as he did, but all Charlie could do was groan until she finally gave in when the cold became too much to bear. She pulled it over her head, and Bass focused his eyes on the road and tried not to watch as her shirt rode up and exposed part of her tan stomach.

She slapped her hands down on her leg once the shirt was on, "I don't feel any happier and now I just look ridiculous to go along with the unhappiness."

Her words said she was unhappy but Bass could hear her playful tone and he smiled as he shook his head, "well I think you look nice, happy even." All he could see was her glaring at him from the corner of his eye as it became apparent to her that he was mocking her.

Charlie waited a few moments, burrowing herself further in the seat for warmth before she asked, "Why did you humor me the other day? Obviously the sweater didn't magically make you feel happy but you kinda sounded like you were?"

She knew that she was baiting him, but she was still buzzed enough to where she didn't care, she probably wouldn't have cared sober. She always was one for asking whatever popped into her head, which often got her into trouble.

His knuckles on the steering wheel tightened and when he didn't say anything, Charlie steered them in another direction going back to simply telling him which way to turn and where to drop her off at.

She didn't really care that he avoided most of her questions; they didn't know each other well enough for an intense round of twenty questions. She was content with sitting in comfortable silence as she all but nodded off until he touched her shoulder gently, "we're here."

Groggily she rubbed her eyes and peered out the window to see her apartment in front of them in the parked car, she turned to Bass and lightly smiled, "thanks for the ride. Just tell Miles I'm ok, I just need some time. Tell my mom, whatever you wanna tell her."

Bass smiled and couldn't stop himself from blurting out a response to the question she had asked earlier, "I did it because you looked happy." When Charlie's brows furrowed in confusion he sighed, "the sweater, I wore it because maybe it didn't magically make me happier, but at the time it made you happy. I figured what was a little lost dignity."

"Well I'm just going to tell you right now that I value my dignity a lot more than you do," she tore the sweater off of her body before throwing it in the back seat and exiting the car. She fully closed the door before she motioned for him to crack the window; "also I hope none of your potential hook ups are on facebook because I'm posting the picture of you in the Christmas sweater tonight."

She smiled sweetly at him when his mouth gaped open like a fish, "wait you took a picture? That's not fair. That is cruel and unusual punishment. Besides you picked the damn sweater, what happened to you having good taste."

Charlie laughed, "oh I still stand by my statement, I have excellent taste, I happen to think you looked dashing in it. Get it? Dashing…Dasher?"

She barely got the words out before she was laughing hysterically beside the passenger door, she couldn't catch her breath from laughing so hard and when she looked at Bass' unimpressed face she started laughing again. She knew he was trying to hard to keep a straight face and be angry with her.

Finally he cracked a smile and started laughing before he playfully rolled his eyes at her lame joke telling skills.

"You can keep Santa, who knows, it might come in handy again. I'll see you later Grinch," she called out to him as she turned her back heading to the apartment.

Before she was out of sight Bass called out to her, "goodnight Cindy Lou who."

The middle finger he received from her at that comment was worth it. It was then that Bass remembered the drunkard probably still laying face down on his couch, by now passed out. When he took his phone out of his pocket he saw twelve missed calls, all from Miles, which he returned immediately, "hey sorry I didn't call my phone was on silent I guess but I found Charlie—"

"Are you bringing her here, is she okay? Can I at least talk to her?" The questions came all at once and all fluid, signaling that Miles had sobered up.

"I'm not bringing her there, I just dropped her off at her apartment, I'm on the way back now, and yes she's okay, said she just needed time, but she's gonna be fine brother, she's Charlie."

Even though Bass didn't know her as well as Miles' did he knew that statement would ease Miles' worry, "alright well I'm crashing on your couch mostly because I can't find my keys again and I'm too lazy to move."

Bass laughed not even bothering to point out that his keys were probably still right in front of him, Miles was oblivious to all things that were right in front of his face, Bass didn't know how he lasted as long as he did in the Marines, and a damn good one at that. "Ok sleeping beauty, I won't disturb your beauty sleep when I come home from tracking down your rebellious niece all night."

"Thanks brother, I really appreciate that, you're the only one I'd trust with her. Plus you couldn't have made it worse than I would have, we both how good I am at consoling someone."

Bass laughed, "You know I have your back Miles." He didn't mention that he probably would've done it anyway because he had Charlie's back as well.

Miles grunted his response and said his goodbyes since Bass was almost back at the house. Before going inside he looked at his phone and saw one new text message from Charlie. Attached was the picture of him in the Christmas sweater, what a disastrous sweater it was. All he noticed was the smile on his face and the look in his eyes.

Minutes later another text message came in from her saying "I felt bad that you had to waste your time tonight sobering my drunk ass up when you deal with Miles drunk on the regular so I thought I'd send this picture."

He laughed, she knew Miles like her back of her hand, before he could type out a response another message came in, "I felt bad, but not bad enough to keep myself from posting it. Danny and I already decided the perfect caption and everything. I just wanted you to see the picture before I sprung it on you. It was too good to waste, sorry not sorry."

Damn all the Mathesons to hell, and the rest of this holiday month.


	3. Terrible Twins Take Flight

Danny had turned 16 almost 10 months ago, but both Rachel and Ben decided that they would make him wait longer before they let him drive other people around in a car. He was a good kid, responsible, and always obeyed the rules, but Rachel was paranoid. He didn't mind for the most part, they let him drive their second car around by himself whenever he wanted to so he couldn't complain too much.

However he was grateful when they did finally lift the ban, until he found out it was to drive Aaron's twins to the Christmas tree farm for the petting zoo and whatever kiddie holiday stuff was there.

"I already told Aaron you would take the twins, Charlie has some schoolwork she has to finish up tonight, besides haven't you been asking when we were going to let you drive someone other than yourself and us around?"

Danny narrowed his eyes at her, "yeah but I didn't think I would be assigned to chauffeur the terrible twins around as my first act of freedom. That sounds like even worse punishment."

The first three years Danny and Charlie spent around the twins was a disaster, they were like mini tornadoes that destroyed everything in their path. Charlie started calling them the terrible twins and ever since that name just kinda stuck with them.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest; Danny knew her 'firm voice' was about to make an appearance. She always got that look in her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest when she was about to lay down the rules, "they aren't terrible, and honestly I wish you two would quit calling them that."

Rachel obviously knew that Charlie was the instigator behind the name, "and secondly Aaron said he would pay you, we are all going out tonight, and you know how generous Aaron can be."

Rachel sighed, "Ok here's the deal you do this and I'll raise your curfew to 11:30. Think of this as kind of like a bribe," when she thought about it she retracted her statement, "scratch that this is a bribe. I am bribing you."

Danny laughed, he was already going to saw yes when she mentioned that Aaron was paying, but when he didn't say anything except raise his eyebrows Rachel took it upon herself to up the ante, "deal, how hard could it be?"

Rachel didn't say anything to deter him from agreeing, but her mind started thinking about just how 'hard' Danny and Charlie had been at that age, "great Aaron and Priscilla will be over any minute now."

"Hey! You weren't even really giving me a choice, they were coming regardless?" Danny cried in a mock outrage.

Rachel just laughed and ruffled his hair, "sweetheart you're just like your father, say the word 'bribe' and you're all in."

Danny's nose scrunched up in disgust at the comment, "ew gross mom, don't say things like that."

Rachel glared at her son and pointed a finger in his direction, "you're spending too much time with Charlie, who spends too much time with Miles. He's rubbing off on the both of you."

Even though Miles was still a sensitive subject Danny still laughed because no matter what she always blamed Charlie or Miles. 99% of the time Danny could be the instigator, but no one would ever assume it was him, which was how he got off the hook most of the times while Charlie was left on the line. She didn't mind though, she always laughed about it.

The doorbell rang bringing them back to the present moment and in walked Aaron, Priscilla, and the terrible tw—Cynthia and Layla. They looked disgustingly adorable tonight with their matching velvet red leggings, green long sleeved shirts with sequins and penguins, and Santa hats on top of their head. No doubt Priscilla picked out their outfits, even at six years old.

"Rachel you look nice tonight," Priscilla greeted her with a hug.

Aaron did the same, only addressing Danny, "thanks again kid for doing this and don't worry we totally trust you to drive them around. Even though you haven't driven anyone else except Ben and Rachel. And you're taking them in a little GM car, which doesn't have the best safety ratings, and did you know the faulty headlights are their 79th recall this year? Have you checked the ignition switch to make sure it's—"

"But we aren't worried or paranoid at all," Priscilla added and laughed at Aaron's frantic rambling, "honey I'm pretty sure you don't even know what a ignition switch is."

Mostly likely true, though Aaron was a certified genius, he was inept when it came to cars. He got the hint and just laughed, "point made, but I do happen to know what the ignition switch is thank you very much. The New York Times article included diagrams."

Everyone just laughed and even Aaron had a slight smile twinge up at the corner of his mouth. Ben chose that moment to interrupt Aaron's fascinating ramble to greet them. All the while Danny was observing the twins who, for the most part, seemed relatively calm today; maybe they weren't so terrible anymore.

"Ok Danny we're leaving now, call us if you need anything, but if not we'll see you shortly. Have fun tonight girls," Rachel smiled and patted their head as she walked out the front door, Ben and Priscilla in tow.

Aaron hung back for a few minutes and pulled Danny aside, "I've taken the liberty to calculate some statistical odds of you getting into a crash so I'd just like to take this time to highlight some of them with you—"

"Aaron Pittman, leave the poor boy alone and let's go before we leave you and take Danny instead," Priscilla's voice could be heard all the way from inside of the car.

Aaron just sighed and retreated, "ok but just remember to be careful."

Danny laughed and nodded, "you got it. Look at me, I'm the epitome of careful."

Aaron who was in the midst of hugging the girls turned to give him a skeptical look then just laughed, "oh yeah, you Mathesons are all careful," he laughed to himself like it was some sort of inside joke, but nevertheless he left shortly after saying goodbye.

"Ok girls let's get this over with," Danny ushered them out of the door and into the car, making sure they were buckled in before he took his place in the driver's seat.

It wasn't 10 seconds before one of them spoke up, he wasn't sure which was which because they always just lumped them together, "daddy always lets us choose the music. We wanna listen to frozen."

"No we don't," the other one whined from her seat.

"Yes Cynthia we do, we like frozen," Layla said with a demanding voice. Danny thought there was going to be more of an argument, but Cynthia just grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest.

The last thing Danny wanted to hear right now was Christmas music, but lucky for him he didn't have the frozen soundtrack, "well it's your lucky day Cynthia because I don't have frozen on my phone so looks like we're in luck."

Cynthia's face beamed from the back seat only to be crushed by Layla's words, "daddy put the CD in your car before you left and he said you had to play it for us."

For a little girl she had an awfully smug face about her, but she was right. Sure enough when Danny changed from AM/FM to CD frozen began blaring through the car.

"Let it goooooo, let it goooooo, can't hold it back anymoreeeeee," Danny groaned as he listened to Layla signing every word by heart, Cynthia looked unimpressed in the seat beside of her sister, no doubt used to her antics. This made Danny smile, but that faded quickly when he realized is was the only song on the CD, it just kept repeating.

They made it to the tree farm at a tantalizingly slow pace, not because Danny was driving that slow, but because listening to Layla sing that song over and over and over again made time drag on. He was never more excited to get out of the car than when they arrived, "we'll go the petting zoo first and then you girls can ride the train."

"Can we get hot chocolate too?"

"Yeah can we?!"

This was the first time Danny had heard Cynthia agree with her sister, but who could refuse hot chocolate. He smiled as he opened the door for them, "if you're good."

"We're always good," was Layla's answer, Danny highly doubted that but paid no attention to it.

They walked around looking at the animals first, Danny read the little information plaque about each animal to them, and other than them being hyper and wanting to run everywhere, they were, for the most part, good.

"Look it's a reindeer," Danny could feel Cynthia tugging on his shirt, when he looked he saw that it did resemble a reindeer, but they were mostly called Caribou in North America. He didn't correct her, "it sure is, isn't it beautiful."

"But it doesn't have a red nose like Rudolph," Cynthia sounded sad, while Layla only laughed, "no but you look like Rudolph!"

With that Layla burst into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth and pointing at her sister's nose. Danny looked down to see that Cynthia's nose was turning red, probably due to the cold and her running around. He didn't laugh because she looked worried and said, "am I turning into a reindeer?!"

Before Danny could answer Layla jumped in, "I bet you are! You're gonna start growing fur next and fly."

Danny glared at Layla and bent down at Cynthia's level to look her in the eye, "you aren't turning into a reindeer, but if you were then you would be the coolest of them all because you would be Rudolph."

That satisfied her because she smiled and wrapped her arms around Danny's neck. Crisis averted, he didn't really think he could handle her crying right then. His head was already pounding from 'let it go' he didn't want to hear crying next.

He could tell they were getting bored with the animals so he offered to get them hot chocolate. He led them over to a bench that was right across from the coffee stand so they would still be in his sight, "sit tight and I'll get you some hot chocolate ok?"

They both nodded, but as soon as Danny was out of earshot Cynthia turned to her sister still anxious, "I'm not really gonna be a reindeer am I?"

There was a twinkle in Layla's eye when she replied, "I know how we can find out."

Danny had literally only been gone for maybe two minutes, but when he looked back at the bench they weren't in plain sight. He started panicking thinking of all the possible things that could've happened to them. Immediately he dialed Charlie's number, not waiting for her to say hello before he started talking, "I hate you do you know that? Because you were busy tonight I had to listen to them sing frozen all the way here, chase after them, make sure one of them didn't have a mental breakdown because she thought she was turning into a damn reindeer, and now I've lost them and it's your fault."

Charlie remained silent for a moment, but then collected her thoughts, "what the hell are you saying? Reindeer? Where are you, and who is 'they'?"

Danny huffed into the phone, "The terrible twins who mom said are not terrible anymore, yeah she lied, go figure. I'm at the Christmas tree farm…I don't have time to explain I lost them and now Aaron is going to kill me, or have Priscilla do it because let's face it Aaron and death don't sound like they go hand in hand. I bet he didn't compute the statics of me losing his children when he calculated everything else. And why the hell has GM had 79 recalls?"

All the while rambling, catching his breath in between pauses he was searching for the girls, going back to the animals and everywhere they had been before in hopes of finding them. "You're at the Christmas tree farm, they couldn't have gone far, there are always rent a cops monitoring the area, plus it isn't that big. Just retrace your steps."

"Oh gee Charlie what a great idea, so original. I could've called Miles if I wanted unhelpful advice," Danny's sarcastic voice told Charlie that he was obviously already doing that while they spoke.

"What were they talking about last when you left them, which by the why is an idiot move, speaking of Miles."

"I don't know they're kids who knows what they were saying, they were arguing and like always the brattier one got her way. She reminds me of you as a kid and how you forced me into trouble."

He made it back to the where the reindeer were, but still no sign of either girl and he was starting to panic more. Charlie's voice rang through the phone, "hey it isn't my fault you lost them. Now take a minute and think about what they were talking about."

Danny sighed, "I already did think. They were discussing reindeer, so I went back to where they were but the twins aren't here. I've retraced every step. I even went back to the car. Dammit, Cynthia's nose is going to fall off if I don't find them soon."

This confused Charlie to the point where she wasn't even sure what he was talking about, "her nose? What's the matter with it?"

Danny snapped, "it was red before I went to get them hot chocolate. Then Layla started making fun of her telling her that she was turning into a reindeer. She is really is mean to her sister, who says those kinds of things besides you—"

"I know where they are, maybe not exactly but I have an idea where they might have went. What do reindeers do?"

"I don't have time for riddles Charlie, tell me," Danny said deadpanned.

"Fly idiot, they fly. If Cynthia thought she was a reindeer, and Layla is as bossy and mean as you say, which I wasn't for your information, then she probably convinced Cynthia that if she could fly then she would know if she was a reindeer or not," Charlie was confident in her answer.

She didn't tell Danny that once when they were younger, she told him that he could fly, so naturally they had to try it out, but luckily their parents stopped them before someone could get hurt. So maybe she really was like Layla.

He started scouring the place for somewhere high enough to where they would be able to test the theory. Panicking he was about to tell Charlie there was no place high enough to jump when he saw the barn way past the petting zoo, "I gotta go Charlie, thanks, but it was your fault you couldn't watch them, so really I saved you and you're welcome."

He rambled so fast and clicked his phone shut that Charlie didn't have time to respond. He ran as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast due to his asthma that still acted up every now and again.

Bursting through the barn doors he heard their voices from the top, "young ladies what do you think you're doing?" He screeched from below as he searched around for the ladder they must've used to get up there. Finally his eyes landed on it in the dark and he quickly pulled himself up to meet their frightened faces.

He must've looked pretty angry because they both shrunk away from his gaze. Cynthia fidgeted nervously with her hands while Layla just looked anywhere but at Danny's voice.

It was Cynthia that spoke up first, "we just wanted to see if I was a reindeer or not."

"Did I not tell you that you were fine?" Danny put his hands on his hips and waited for their rebuttal.

"Yeah but how do you know? Layla said the only way to be sure was to jump and see if I flew."

He cut her off before she could continue, "well if Layla said to jump off a bridge would you do it?" Realizing his mistake he took it back, internally beating himself up for asking so dumb a question, "did you think about what would happen if you weren't a reindeer and you fell instead of flew?"

Cynthia just shook her head and Layla spoke up this time, "we didn't get that far. I'm only six."

She sounded exasperated which angered Danny more; "exactly you're only six which means you should not be telling your sister to jump off of barns. Do you know how dangerous that is? She could've gotten really hurt!"

Layla flinched at his tone and started crying, which made Cynthia cry. Oh great, now they were both hysterically bawling and hugging one another saying sorry. Danny took in his appearance, how he was standing, the language that he was using, he sounded like Rachel. That thought instantly horrified him, he was turning into a parent, he had to fix this.

"Listen, I have an idea, do you girls want to do a experiment?"

That hushed them right up; they dried their tears and wiped their eyes on the sleeves of their shirts. Both of them instantly nodded and Danny smiled, "If you really want to find out if you're part reindeer or not jumping is the only way."

Layla gasped and interrupted, "but-but you said that was dangerous!"

Danny nodded, "and it is doing it by yourselves, however I'm going to be at the bottom to catch you."

With that added bonus both of them squealed and jumped for joy. Layla ran back over to the opening of the barn, while Cynthia took her time walking back over there, "how come I gotta be the one to jump?"

Layla looked at her with a duh expression, "cause you're the one with the red nose Rudolph."

Cynthia just glared, peering down to see Danny standing at the bottom calling out to her, "alright it's now or never, let's find out if you'll be taking your place on Santa's sleigh delivering Christmas gifts."

As ludicrous as this was Danny was actually laughing, he never got to play the older sibling role, it was always Charlie talking him into doing stuff that would eventually get them in trouble. And by them he meant Charlie, she's the one who got the brunt of it from their mother; their dad was always silent. He wasn't one for reprimanding them or scolding them, he just smiled once he realized no one got hurt, which infuriated their mom even more.

He waited carefully, but she was still just standing there, he frowned "don't be scared I'm going to catch you I promise. Just let it gooooo, let it gooo."

He did his best rendition of the song, but neither of them heard anything past the first let it go because they were laughing too much. Cynthia took one last look at him before closing her eyes and jumping. Layla looked surprised beside of her, but squealed when Cynthia landed safely in Danny's arms.

Layla climbed down the stairs and raced outside to meet them as Danny stood Cynthia up on her feet, "see that wasn't scary I told you I'd catch you."

Cynthia looked sad when she turned her face up towards Danny, "yeah but I'm not a reindeer, I'm not special."

Danny smiled, "you're even more special, you just jumped out of a barn and I'm pretty sure you flew for a few minutes. I didn't think you were ever coming down."

Layla nodded her head along with Danny, "he's right I took a long time climbing down and you still were in the air!"

Cynthia smiled and clapped her hands together, her rosy red cheeks now matching her red nose.

Danny smiled, "plus reindeers are really smell and Santa is heavy, you wouldn't want to carry him."

Both girls laughed and nodded as they all three made their way back to the car. It would be time for Aaron and Priscilla to come back shortly Danny thought as he checked his watch. Their experiment set them back time wise, but both girls were still exclaiming how much fun they had one the ride back, they didn't care that they didn't get to ride the train or anything else.

Danny parked the car in the driveway of the house and, before he got out, turned to them both, "it'll be our little secret okay, grown ups wouldn't understand."

Layla nodded sympathetically like she knew that feeling all too well, "they never do, we won't tell, we promise right Cynthia?"

She as well nodded and smiled lovingly at Danny, "we promise!"

While they still had a few minute left before all of the parents were supposed to come back Danny led the inside and as they sat on the couch he turned to go to the kitchen to make them some hot chocolate before he abruptly turned towards them, "you aren't going to run off this time are you?"

He said it in an accusatory tone, but they both giggled and shook their heads. He smiled and went about making all three of them hot chocolate. After making sure it was cool enough for them to drink he brought back two plastic cups, and his in a coffee cup and set theirs down on the table in front of them.

They moved to sit cross-legged on the floor, greedily gulping down their hot chocolate. Moments later the door opened followed by the parents all shuffling in out of the cold. The twins jumped up from their positions and ran in the direction of their parents. One went to Priscilla and the other ran right into Aaron's arms. "We missed you two, did you behave for Danny?"

Priscilla looked to Danny when she asked the question but he just nodded, "oh yeah they were great, minus making me listen to frozen, thank you for that by the way Aaron, I'll remember that."

Aaron just laughed, "hey don't mention it, we get enough of it, thought maybe we could pawn it off on some other poor yuppie for the night."

"Hey! You said you liked our singing," cried Layla's voice in Priscilla's arms, no one answered but they just smiled and laughed.

Aaron's phone started blasting music from his pocket; he untangled Layla from his arms and went outside to answer the call. Priscilla asked them about what they did, the only giggled and told her about the animals that they say, looking to Danny every so often, until Aaron came back inside.

"So is anyone going to tell me about reindeers and jumping off of barn buildings cause I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of being careful. Like the literal opposite."

He didn't sound mad, mostly because he knew they were both ok, he just sounded like he figured that was coming, Danny was dumbfounded, how did he find out so fast?

Then it clicked in his mind, "Dammit Charlie," he muttered to himself, "well ok, you see what happened was…I was being careful, but we were just doing an experiment. Don't you like that science-y stuff?"

When he didn't answer Danny took that as a 'no' and went about telling the story. For the first few minutes everyone was quiet but as the story progressed they started laughing, especially when one of the twins interrupted him to tell them about him singing frozen.

He just shrugged his shoulders, "you try listening to it all the way there and tell me it doesn't get stuck in your head. It's just so catchy."

Minus the one mishap, Aaron said that he still trusted Danny, and as promised paid him. Danny had even won over the affection of both of the girls who wanted to spend more time with him, after he recovered from their first adventure.

Once they said their goodbyes and, left Danny dialed Charlie's number as he made his way to his room. She sent him straight to voicemail, so he just left her one instead of trying to call again, "well played sister, well played, but just know that I am younger than you and I have more tricks up my sleeve."

It wasn't 2 two minutes after he left the voicemail that he got a text from Charlie, "couldn't resist little bro, thought I would reminisce about old times where I got us into trouble, except this time you were the one taking the blame for it."

Danny left his phone on his bed and ran out of his room, he found his mom in the kitchen and pretended to get something out of the fridge, "you know what's funny when I called Charlie tonight, she was laughing, I was frantically searching for the twins and she was unhelpful. I can't believe she would do such a thing when I was clearly upset."

He shook his head in disbelief and watched from the corner of his eye as Rachel took out her phone and began typing something. He was even impressed with how disappointed he sounded. Once she was distracted he returned back to his room to reply to Charlie's text, "we'll see about that sis :)"

"So Charlie isn't mad at me anymore, well I guess not as mad because she just texted," Miles spoke up form beside Bass on the couch. At the mention of Charlie's name Bass glanced over at him, hoping he didn't look too excited but Miles was reading his phone and laughing.

"Apparently Danny lost Aaron's kids today at the Christmas tree farm."

"Why are you laughing, aren't you the one who lost Charlie one time?"

Miles groaned, "Does no one in this family forget anything? I didn't lose her, I momentarily forgot where I put her."

Bass scoffed, "Miles you forget where you misplace your keys, when it's a kid it's called losing them."

He glared from underneath his lashes as he read the rest of the message, "Layla convinced Cynthia that she was turning into a reindeer somehow, then told her it would be a good idea to jump out of the barn where they keep the horses to see if she would fly."

Miles was laughing, but Bass' wheels were turning in his head, "wait Stay Puft named his kid Layla? Poor kid…wait he knows that song?"

For some reason Aaron didn't really strike Bass as a classic rock lover, Miles just look at him dumbfounded, "dude I just told you she tried jumping out of a barn and you're questioning his choice of names? Why do I tell you anything?"

Bass laughed, "Because I ask the questions you were already wondering."

Miles didn't say anything, but Bass already knew he was right, what was Aaron thinking?

Charlie was finishing up her paper when her phone started ringing, her mother, she groaned but answered anyway, "Hey mom what's up I'm kinda busy?"

She wasn't really busy but she wasn't in the mood to talk to her at the moment, but she didn't have to do the talking because Rachel had already started, "your brother called you needing your help and you laughed at him? They could've gotten really hurt Charlie."

She was tempted to laugh then, what a typical move of Danny, that's what his text meant earlier, she couldn't believe he had gotten her in trouble and she wasn't even physically there.

"He called me and spent 15 minutes rambling, I assumed it wasn't too serious because he went off on a tangent about General Motors and Aaron calculating statistics," at that she started laughing.

Rachel sighed into the phone, "you know when he gets worried he starts rambling, he can't help it, he just starts talking and saying anything."

Charlie resisted the urge to point out that she was doing it now, that wouldn't help her case so she just let her talk, until she had gotten over it and was fine again.

They said goodbye, and as soon as Charlie hung up she texted Danny, "how is it that even when it's not my fault, it's my fault? I hope you know it's only because you're the baby that you get away with everything, it's a good thing I love you, I guess."

By the end of it she was laughing, it was well worth taking the fall for him, even if it meant she ended up having to listen to not only one worried, anxious Matheson ramble on the phone, but two.

Her phone buzzed beside her on the bed with Danny's incoming message, "told you I was younger and I would use that to my advantage."

Charlie laughed, "Oh and by the way, mom never asked me to take the terrible twins. I didn't even know you were going, so the jokes on you bro."


	4. That Damn Christmas Tree

Miles was rummaging through his stuff, trying to find his keys and jacket, so he could head down to the bar. He texted Charlie earlier in the week asking her if she wanted to go pick a tree with him, but he was backing out.

This time though he covered his ass by planning to ask Bass to take her himself. He promised Charlie he would not cancel this time, but lo and behold he was canceling for some made up reason of him needing to go to the bar to tend to some made up problem.

And yes, he did realize how stupid and childish that sounded.

"Why don't I go down to the bar and take care of things there, and you can go with Charlie to get a Christmas tree?" Bass suggested while he watched Miles search aimlessly

"Because you're the one with the truck," was the first pathetic excuse that came to Miles' mind, and even in his mind it sounded dumb.

"As I recall you've driven my truck many times before Miles, I'd be happy to let you borrow it again. It's not like you could break it, it's already a hunk of junk."

That truck was more important than Bass lead on, but he would trust Miles with anything, plus he wanted to get to the bottom of why Miles was canceling on Charlie, yet again.

Miles shook his head not saying anything. Bass could tell he was trying to up with another lame excuse, but even he couldn't figure out a good enough excuse so he opted for something rare, the truth, "I just can't face her Bass, not when I don't know if she's still mad. She hasn't said anything to me other than you telling me she was ok after you picked her up from the bar, which she didn't even directly say to me."

He let out a groan, "hell brother, I'm more worried that she's disappointed in me, a pissed Charlie I could handle, but an upset Charlie, you know I'm not good with feelings and shit."

Bass did know, but it wasn't like he was any better at it, he just had more life experiences that forced him into a different viewpoint. He had to be more willing to talk about some feelings, or things would get bad again like last time.

It's not that Bass didn't want to spend time with Charlie, he did. She was beautiful, funny, and her don't-give-a-fuck attitude reminded him of Miles. She was a mini-Miles only prettier and with longer hair.

He just didn't want to be alone with Charlie for long because ultimately he didn't trust himself. He was always a gentleman, but flirting was second nature to him, especially around Charlie who obviously liked to play with fire.

Bass couldn't tell any of this to Miles because he was quite sure that Miles would explode and possibly have a mental breakdown with all the shit he has been going through.

Miles was as tough as nails, but even nails bend to a point where they break eventually. He didn't want to be that breaking point, so he just had to suck it up and hide his feelings for her as best as he could.

"Alright fine, we'll go get your idiot ass a tree, which by the way, when did you suddenly become cheermeister? You never decorate, the most holiday thing you ever do is buy beer cans with a turkey on them."

Miles looked at him sheepishly, "well I just felt guilty about the whole Rachel thing so I was trying to make it up to Charlie by letting her force me into decorating. Thought maybe that would make her…I don't know, happy, I guess?"

Bass smiled internally thinking about the night where he put on that stupid sweater for the exact same reason, he couldn't blame Miles because he would do the same thing. Only he was the one who had to suffer through it until Miles got his ass in trouble, for being himself, and had to share in the punishment.

"Are you sure she's even going to be ok with me taking her? This kinda defeats the purpose of YOU trying to make it up to her." That was one way Bass could try to get around this whole situation without having to incriminate himself.

Miles was already nodding after Bass asked if she would be ok with it, "right now I think she likes you more than me anyway," he tried to laugh the comment off but he ended up sounding more jealous than anything.

Bass sighed, which signified to Miles that he was giving in, "fine but at least let her know so you don't just spring it on her when she gets here."

Miles smiled lightly and clapped one hand on Bass' slumped shoulders as he went by him, out of the kitchen, "thanks again brother, I'll let her know."

Heading towards the front door Bass called out to him before he could make a quick exit, "wait you aren't even going to wait and tell her in person? Miles I swear if I have to spend hours with a pissed off, brooding version of you, you're going to owe me. I'm talking massively."

"I already texted her jeez, she's cool with it she said, so if there isn't anything else I'm leaving," he grabbed the keys off of the table by the door, the last place he ever thought to look…go figure.

Miles was shuffling his feet and his arms were twitching to reach out and grasp the doorknob. His nervousness made Bass laugh, "yeah alright get out of here…coward, I can't believe you're scared of your own niece."

Miles glared, "well if I were you I'd be scared of her too." Bass was scared of her, but not for the reasons that Miles was.

He attempted to get his shit under control before Charlie got there, but it wasn't long after Miles left that Charlie pulled into the driveway of the house. He heard the car door shut softly, so maybe that was an indicator that she wasn't too mad about the arrangement.

However when he saw her face as she walked in, he knew he had been wrong about the door. She didn't look pissed necessarily, but she didn't look overjoyed at the idea of going with him, which kinda hurt him a little bit.

He shook it off when the corners of her mouth lifted in a smile, "at least this time he didn't cancel altogether, he just gave me a stand-in." She laughed, but again her tone mirrored Miles' before, he didn't know why she would be jealous of Bass though, unless it had to do with the fact that Miles didn't seem to want to see her, but he spent all his free time with Bass.

"If it'll help I can do Miles' impersonations along the way," he offered and when she laughed he knew she wasn't totally angry at having to spend the rest of the day with him.

"We can compare impersonations, I make a mean Miles," she grinned, obviously proud of her skills.

Bass just laughed and motioned to the door, "are you ready to go?"

When she nodded, he turned the lights off in the kitchen and closed the door behind them, making his way to the truck. Charlie's face looked curious when she took in the old beat up truck. There was notable wear and tear, but it also had a charming quality, like it was sturdy and reliable, which reminded her of Bass. He was a little worn, but he still looked as fine as ever and was dependable.

"It was my dad's truck," he spoke up when he noticed she was still looking at the truck, "I guess you could say I'm a bit of a pack rat."

He laughed, moving to go around to the passenger side to open Charlie's door who wasn't used to the gesture, but smiled nonetheless.

"It's nice you keep things that are important to you." They weren't touching, nor were they close to one another, but Bass could feel the heat radiating off her body just from the look in her eyes when she said that.

He nodded and closed her door shut, going around the back of the truck to his side of the car. This was going to be a long night if she kept looking at him like that.

"So where were you and Miles going?" He asked once they got going, he wasn't sure which direction to head in so he began thinking of places that he knew sold Christmas trees.

"I hadn't really thought that far in advance considering I knew he was going to cancel on me," her voice took on a snappish tone at the end of the statement. Charlie wasn't angry at having to go with Bass, but he knew that she was furious that Miles was blatantly avoiding her. He knew that, if he could see it, then so could Charlie. She was far from dumb; she was good at reading people.

An idea dawned on him, he wasn't sure it was necessarily a good idea, but that didn't stop his mouth form opening and suggesting it, "do you trust me?"

When she looked bewildered at his question he went on, "I have an idea that might help you and get us a tree, so what do you say Cindy Lou-Who?"

Charlie laughed, "I say that if we're going with those nicknames I'm not sure how much I should trust the Grinch, but I'm feeling lucky so go for it."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye to see if she meant anything by that, but she was peering out the window as he drove them to the unknown destination.

Neither of them talked, it was just like being in the car with Miles, they weren't much on car conversations, which Bass didn't mind; he preferred to listen to the radio anyway and their destination wasn't too far.

They pulled up to what looked to Charlie like a park and she recognized it instantly. This was the park where she went a few years back with her family to see Christmas lights, they also had evergreen trees growing all over the place. She had no idea why they were stopping there, you couldn't buy trees there, but Bass cut the car off and unbuckled getting out of the car.

Charlie took her cue and followed going around to the bed of the truck where he was shuffling around for something, producing a large axe as he turned to Charlie, "how do you feel about cutting your own tree? Miles doesn't need a big tree, I'm sure between the two of us we can manage a small one at least."

"Aren't there places where you can actually cut your own tree, that's not in a random park, I get the feeling that this may be a bit illegal, but what do I know?"

Her playful, nonchalant attitude made Bass laugh, "but this is more fun, besides it's only illegal if you get caught…so just don't get caught."

He had already started moving towards the forest while Charlie was left muttering to herself at the back of the truck, "yeah that's really comforting, I'm sure everyone says to themselves 'just don't get caught' right before they get caught."

While she was hesitant, she was also excited. She didn't think Bass would honestly let her get into trouble, she felt safe, which left room for her to be excited. She hurried along to catch up with him as they went further into the forest, scouring the place for a small tree that they would be able to cut.

Charlie started to walk ahead of him when he dead halted, but his arm shot out across her body and both had to resist the spark that was flowing between them.

He didn't retract his arm but he pointed with the other hand that was holding the axe to a tree further on his left, "there, that one looks easy enough."

Charlie nodded, but he didn't wait for her approval before he began his path there. When they got there he handed the axe to her, who took it skeptically in her hand, "when you said we I just assumed you meant you."

He laughed at her and shook his head, "no way, I was just told to drive you to get a tree, we're sharing in the physical labor."

She smirked at his words, not a good choice of words on his part, "well it wasn't my idea that put us in this position, but whatever, if I lose a limb that's on you."

She had already grasped the axe in her hand before Bass could stop her, his facial features filled with terror at the realization that she could in fact get hurt. That went away quickly when he saw that she knew her way around an axe and was only kidding before.

When she took in his awestruck face she laughed, repeating the movements, "one year we built a tree house, well dad did, but I helped."

Bass smiled, he liked when she talked about things in the past, it gave him a chance to get to know her, other than through Miles' eyes. Speaking of, "do you want to know the reason why he cancelled?"

Bass knew that he probably shouldn't be telling her this, but he felt he owed it to her, everyone kept everything from Charlie and Danny, and he wasn't going to be another person.

He was surprised when she scoffed, "I already know the reason. He thinks I'm still mad or whatever, I guess he's scared to face me."

"And are you? Mad that is?" He was probing, but he knew that Charlie needed to be pushed and maybe she didn't really know the answer herself until she said it out loud. Saying things out loud has a way of making things more real, which is when you're alone is easier to live in denial, no one to forces you to say what you don't want to.

She didn't say anything, but her swings grew more erratic, which communicated he struck a nerve. "I don't know, I can't really judge I guess because I've never been in their shoes. It was just easier when I didn't have to think about it."

Bass nodded, "it's always easier not to think about things, but eventually it'll come out, and usually harsher than you intended. It's better to get it out now."

She immediately stopped swinging and turned to face him, "I'm pissed okay, but what is there to do about it? Get mad? What's that going to solve besides get me worked up? It's just something that happened and now it's done."

"It's not done though because you haven't really expressed how you felt have you? I know Danny blew up and said what he felt, but have you, honestly?"

She was so tired of people probing and asking her that question. She wanted to deal with things how she dealt with them best…by avoiding them. A light bulb went off in her mind, that's exactly how Miles was going about the whole business. He was avoiding it and avoiding her.

"No," she spoke up in a soft voice, "I guess I haven't really. I'm not mad at Miles, hell I'm not even mad at my mom, I can't be mad at them because I'm pretty sure my dad cheated on her too."

She dropped a bombshell that not even Bass knew about, which meant that maybe Miles didn't know about it either. When she saw his face she laughed, no humor present, "yeah that was pretty much my reaction, more fucked up shit. I saw him out with someone a month ago who wasn't my mom, and they were too close to be just friends. I went to where she worked and pretended to need something, just so I could scope her out, her name's Maggie; she has kids but no husband."

Bass didn't know what to say so he remained quiet as she continued on, "I think it was a one time thing, but I don't know, maybe my dad knew about the affair and that was him acting out. I don't know it's just a mess. They're acting like everything is ok, even went out the other night with Aaron and Priscilla. I think I only heard dad yell once, and I know he hit Miles, but that's it? That's all you do when you find out your brother and your wife had an affair?"

She stopped talking and immediately went back to swinging at the tree, this time she wasn't even paying attention to what she was hitting, she just kept swinging.

Her literal mood swing confused Bass so much, sending up a red flag that something was wrong, "Charlie stop before you cut a limb off, or worse you hit me." He tried to make a joke about it and speak in a friendly voice, but she didn't stop.

"Charlie…Charlie, hold on…Charlotte, stop, stop," he tried being nice the first few times, but when he wasn't getting through to her, he all but yelled at her.

As soon as she lowered her arms, preparing to swing again, he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around hers, forcing her to drop the axe on the ground between her feet.

Neither one of them said anything; the only sound that could be heard was Charlie's breathing and heart pounding. He pulled her in close, not thinking about what he was doing, he just wanted her to stop. He wanted to comfort her.

Without warning she turned around in his arms, in the little amount of space he left her, and laid her forehead on his shoulder. He loosened his arms a bit, but still kept them around her, flattening his hands across her back as he moved them up and down.

She wasn't crying, she didn't cry often, instead she just muttered against his shirt, but he couldn't hear her. He ran his arms over hers until he gripped her forearms and pushed her back to look in her eyes, silently asking her to repeat it.

She just sighed, "The worst part of all of this is that I think I hoped Miles was my father. Not that I don't love my dad, but I'm just…I'm not like them. Mom says all the time how alike Danny and dad are, but I'm not like mom or dad. And I argue with mom constantly, it's like everything I do she picks a fight with. It just makes me wonder if it's because I remind her of the mistake she made."

Even though it wasn't asked as a question Bass still answer, his heart breaking, "There are a lot of qualities in you that are in Ben as well. You're hardworking, you're compassionate, you're caring, you wouldn't hurt anyone unless it was absolutely necessary…that screams Ben, trust me I knew him as a kid. And as much as you want to call what Rachel and Miles did a mistake, it wasn't, they were in love, they might still be I don't know."

He was partially lying, he knew that Miles was definitely still in love with Rachel, he confessed to him the other night, and you know what they say, drunken minds are sober thoughts. "No matter any of that though, that doesn't affect you, Rachel gives you a hard time because it's a mother's job. Shit if I had a dollar every time my mom yelled at me or questioned my stupid choices, which almost all revolved around Miles, I would be as rich as Aaron."

Charlie laughed at that statement, already starting to feel better. She knew in her mind she was being ridiculous, but Bass was right, things didn't just disappear if you didn't talk about them, in fact it was the opposite, they grew bigger when you pretended not to notice them.

It was then that she noticed the close proximity between them, which Bass did as well. Charlie could've sworn he blushed and let his arms drop to his side. Charlie wasn't giving up that easily, she threw her arms around his neck, and even if Bass wanted to, he couldn't stop himself from reciprocating.

"Thank you Bass," she whispered softly in his ear, pulling back just enough to look at his face. Time stood still as they both looked at one another, he wasn't sure what to say and neither was she, so she did the only thing she could think of, she kissed him. Not rushed, or aggressively, she simply pressed her lips against his in a tender kiss, so light that he could've sworn he imagined it.

When he didn't respond she took that as a sign she should untangle herself from him, she laughed as she picked the axe back up, trying not to let him see that she was sort of upset by his lack of reaction, "I guess we should finish cutting this tree before we do get caught."

Bass wasn't sure what type of caught she was talking about, but he was glad that she didn't seem too upset. It's not that he didn't want to respond, in fact he wanted to take things further, but he couldn't take advantage of her in that moment. It didn't feel right.

"Oh we're not actually cutting down the whole tree are you crazy? That would take hours, I just brought you here so you could whack things safely, we'll go buy a tree. I'm too old to be cutting down trees."

Charlie looked at him, "you have got to be kidding me? I did all this work for nothing?"

"Not for nothing, it made you feel better didn't it? Besides if wasn't kidding about the jail, we really could go to jail, I'm not risking it for some Charlie Brown Christmas tree."

"What?!" She exclaimed, dropping the axe for the second time that night, "I thought you were kidding, I'm not going to jail, I will leave your ass to take the fall for it."

"Relax we're going to be fine, just don't get caught and we'll be good. If we leave now we should be—"

No sooner had Bass uttered those words did he see blue lights flickering from where his truck was parked. "Oh fuck me," he murmured to himself and turned towards Charlie, "ok just let me do the talking, I have cop friends."

Charlie snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm pretty sure if you tell them that, then they're going say you shouldn't have been so stupid as to break the law when obviously you have friends who could've told you, this was in fact, breaking the law."

Bass didn't respond to her, but she was right, that would be a dumb thing to say. He didn't get the chance to think much more when two officers appeared before him, neither of them Bass knew, now he was doubly fucked, he thought if they were friends he could get out of it no problem, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Good evening officers," charming people came naturally to Bass, but it was unlikely to work on men, he usually had better luck with women.

"Well it would've been a good evening had we not gotten a call about strange noises being heard in the park, something that sounded an awful lot like tree cutting, which I'm sure you know, you can't just go chopping trees Paul Bunyan."

Bass nodded, feigning remorse, "I'm very sorry officers, it won't happen again, I was just taking my niece here out to find a tree," he pointed to Charlie who said nothing.

He could tell by the look in her eyes she was mad, but he had to say something, and if those guys knew Miles or Baker, he couldn't say she was anything other than family.

"You do realize there are places where you can do that legally? Crazy thought I know," the officer rolled his eyes.

His sarcasm was getting on Bass' nerves, but he tried to remain polite until Charlie had to interrupt, "that's what I told him."

"Thank you Charlie, that was helpful," he thought to himself and the other cop responded, "So you knew this was illegal and yet you still did it? Well I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to think it over while you wait in a holding cell."

"What the fuck, you aren't serious. You're going to put us in a cell because of some stupid tree, that's a little ridiculous don't you think?"

The cop looked sad, but his tone indicated that he was silently taking pleasure in this, "look pal I don't make the rules, I just enforce them."

"Well the ones you want to enforce anyway," Charlie muttered under her breath, but unfortunately they heard her, "well unlucky for you, young lady, this is one of the ones I'm enforcing."

Bass groaned as they went to cuff his hands around his back, watching as they did the same with Charlie only she didn't look quite as worried or nervous, but she didn't have to face the wrath of Miles or Rachel for getting them into this mess.

Non-too gently, they shoved both Bass and Charlie into the patrol car and radioed over that they were bringing in two people, Bass just hoped that Jeremy was still there this time of night.

Bass and Miles met Jeremy Baker in high school before they left for the Marines. They tried to talk Jeremy into enlisting with them, but he declined saying that he would rather diminish his chances of being killed by staying at home. Shortly after they learned he entered the police academy, which was kinda ironic considering he wanted to minimize his chances of being shot or killed.

Bass had to hand it to him though; he was damn good at his job, he had to have been good enough to be promoted to Captain.

Once entering the jail, they were both led to different cells when Bass spoke up immediately, "don't we get one phone call or some shit like that?"

"You do as soon as we tell you that you can make that call," was the short response huffed out by one of the officers.

By this point Bass had enough of them and was about to fly off the handle, his face getting red, when he heard laughter and a familiar voice, "well I'll be damned, Bass Monroe, it shouldn't surprise me that you've landed your ass in here."

Baker took in the girl in the cell next to him and just raised his eyebrows at Bass, "although it does surprise me that the old ball and chain isn't with you. I called him though as soon as they told me you were the owner of the truck. Figured he could come get your sorry ass."

Bass grunted, "as always Baker you're completely useless, this is Miles' niece Charlie," he motioned to her who had remained silent as she sat on the cell cot, only smiling up at him softly when he looked at her.

Baker's eyes grew wide, then he whistled and laughed, "you're in for it now man, Miles is going to be pissed, if I had known I wouldn't have called him."

Bass laughed, "yeah right, you would've called him sooner and made popcorn so you could watch it all go down. Don't kid a kidder Baker."

He laughed and nodded his head, obviously Bass knew him so well. He pointed to one of the cops, "go ahead and let this idiot out, and of course let Miss Matheson out as well. You're Rachel's daughter?"

Once she was out of the cell she just shrugged her shoulders, "as far as I know."

She was half serious, but Baker took it as a joke and laughed, "you got your uncle's attitude, poor kid."

She was about to speak up when said uncle burst through the doors of the cell. He looked madder than a raging bull, "Bass you son of a bitch, I told you to take Charlie to get a damn tree, and by that I meant one that wouldn't land you in jail. Didn't think I needed to clarify."

"If you had taken me yourself to get a tree, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess, it wasn't Bass' fault. Besides you're the one who wanted the damn tree."

Her tone softened when she said Bass' name. No one noticed but him and Baker, who looked at Bass curiously from the side of his eye. Bass said nothing, but his jaw clenched unconsciously, that told Jeremy all he needed to know, Bass Monroe was screwed.

Pulling at his hair in anger Miles huffed, throwing his hands up in the air, "Charlie I'm not arguing with you about this."

"Good because you know you're in the wrong, and you're just as much to blame, so take some responsibility for it." Miles and Bass both could hear the double meaning behind her words, "If you hadn't been trying so hard to avoid me, then we wouldn't be here."

He held his hands up in mock surrender as he rolled his eyes, "alright fine it was my fault, happy?" He pointed a finger at Bass, "You still aren't off the hook, I have no doubt this was your brilliant plan. What do I always say, don't get caught."

Bass laughed and looked to Charlie, "that's what I told her," obviously mocking her words earlier that landed them there.

She glowered at him as Baker crossed his arms over his chest, clearly amused by their bickering, "as glad as I am to see you two, get the hell out of my jail before I throw you all in one for giving me a headache."

"You always were one to abuse your power Baker, but it's good to see you too. Sorry you had to meet my niece this way, but hey at least you can clearly see what Matheson traits stuck with her," Miles laughed.

"Oh I definitely can, one of my officers said it was her mouth that got them thrown in here. Bass might've pulled the idiot move, but the jackass comments from her were all your traits."

Charlie beamed, "which reiterates my point that this was all your fault Miles in more ways than one, thank you Baker."

By this point Baker was full on laughing, along with Bass, and Miles was just rolling his eyes at her, "ok Charlie I think you've sufficiently made your point, now let's go home."

Miles had calmed down enough to where he didn't blame Bass entirely anymore for the whole incident, "I guess we aren't getting a tree, not that I really wanted one anyway."

Charlie looked at him like he was crazy, "are you kidding? We're going to go back and get that tree, it's almost fully cut, besides what are they gonna do? Come pick us back up and throw us all back in jail? I highly doubt it. We just have to be more careful and not get caught."

She was already walking away when Miles and Bass both exchanged looks between one another, she was in fact mental, but neither of them said no to the idea, which is how they all three ended up back at spot where Bass and Charlie had just been.

Miles looked critically at the tree, "this is the one you chose…seriously? This is ugly."

Charlie shoved the axe in his hands before pushing him towards the tree, "well it was too much work trying to get a bigger tree, you're not worth all that. Besides it's cute, it's a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree."

She met Bass' eyes and instead of turning away from her he smiled as he continued looking at her, "yeah it's beautiful."

Miles huffing was the only sound that could be heard, "I hope you know that I am not decorating this hideous thing."

"Maybe if you ask me really nicely and supply me with some alcohol I can be tempted to help you. Besides you're the one who's suddenly become the holiday cheermeister" Charlie laughed.

Miles turned around and pouted at them, "oh not you too. You two are ganging up on me and that's not very nice. And what's with all the Grinch stuff?"

Both them of started laughing oblivious to Miles who didn't understand their joke inside, they knew and that's all that mattered.


	5. Drunk on Holiday Cheer

"So Stay Puft actually invited us to the shindig?" Bass asked for the millionth time that evening. He knew that he and Aaron were kinda friends, but he didn't think they would were close enough for Aaron to invite him to a family dinner.

Miles sighed, "yes Bass, he really invited us, although I don't know why he would invite you when you call him that stupid name."

Bass rolled his eyes, "right like you don't call him names and take jabs at him."

Miles didn't say anything, which told Bass that he had won the argument, Miles called everyone names and picked on them, it was what he did best.

"I think Priscilla made him invite us," Miles joked, "she's too nice for him."

Bass knew Miles was joking about her being too nice for Aaron, but she was nice and always tried to include Bass and Miles in everything she planned because they were important to Ben, and Aaron whether he admitted it or not.

"Well I'm always down for Priscilla's cooking, she makes the best food, remember one of the twins' birthday parties and she made those corn flake butterscotch things?"

Miles laughed, "clearly you remember, all I remember is you eating so many of them I'm pretty sure you got sick, you never were good at self-restraint."

Bass glowered at him from the passenger seat, "yeah like you're one to talk, I'm pretty sure you got sick too, only yours was a result of the bottle of whiskey you snuck into a child's birthday party. Have you no shame man?"

Miles shook his head, he knew Bass wasn't seriously asking because as he recalled, Bass helped him drink most of said bottle, "not a damn bit, but if you're going to be a Debby downer I won't share any that I brought this year."

"Who says I need yours, maybe I brought my own."

"Good when I run out I know who to go to," Miles smiled at him, while Bass just rolled his eyes. This was going to be an interesting night.

They hadn't all been together since Rachel's family dinner, which meant that Ben, Miles, and Rachel hadn't been in the same room with another since then. The affair business had blown over for the most part; at least that's how everyone was acting about the whole thing.

Miles and Ben had gone out the other night together and both returned unscathed, and Rachel was still communicating with Miles, granted it was mostly about Charlie when she didn't come home one night.

Bass however knew better than to think this night was going to go smoothly, which is why he did in fact equip himself with a flask of whiskey incase shit hit the fan.

To say that Aaron's house was nice would be an understatement, though it wasn't as big as Bass thought, no doubt Priscilla's doing. She seemed like the type who liked simple things. Nevertheless it was a much larger house than Bass was used to.

When they walked inside, both expecting it to feel stuffy, they were pleasantly surprised that it felt homey and very welcoming. It was adorned with lots of nice, store bought decorations, and mixed in were handmade things made by the twins, they assumed.

Speaking of the twins, they were both looking strangely at Miles and Bass. They didn't know Bass that well, and he was getting the impression that they didn't like Miles much, course kids were not his specialty, people weren't even his specialty.

Their faces lit up when they heard other voices behind Miles and Bass that belonged to Danny, "Danny!"

Both twins ran up and jumped on Danny, then when they saw Charlie come through the door they ran up to her as she bent down to hug each one of them, "do you like the decrations Charlie, mommy said we could add to yours. She put ours all over the house so it looks just like your house."

They were so excited to show Charlie everything they decorated, tugging on her arm, she only smiled and pulled back, "I love them, you guys did a great job and I promise to come see them all later. Right now I have to bring my friend in though, do you wanna say hi?"

"What friend?" Miles narrowed his eyes at her, playing the over protective parent role, but Bass was curious as well who she brought to dinner. He might've even been a little jealous.

"He's the son of mom and dad's accountant. Jason Neville, meet my uncle Miles and this is his friend Bass," Charlie motioned to them when this 'Jason' guy came up beside of Charlie. Her voice was directed at Miles, conveying that she expected him to play nice.

"Nice to meet you kid," Miles reached out his hand and shook his hand, and nudged Bass to do the same, which he did non-too gently, he might add, "yeah, same."

That's all they said to him before Charlie was leading him through the door and into the kitchen where everyone else was. Miles whispered to Bass when they were gone, "I don't like the kid. He looks like a smug asshole."

Bass agreed, nodding his head, "he reminds me of us as a teenager."

Miles just shuddered, "ah hell Bass that's even worse."

Bass nodded that was much worse.

They headed into the kitchen where everyone was setting up for dinner. Priscilla had assigned Aaron to put all the silverware and plates on the table, as she was finishing up dinner. She turned to Miles and Bass when they entered, "oh I'm so glad you both good come!"

Priscilla always had a way of making everyone feel welcome, even if they felt out of place, which they both did at this moment. She turned to Bass, "I made those corn flake things you like so much, and I even made extra so you don't have to worry about running out."

"Aka you don't have to stuff your face until you get sick," Aaron commented from the table laughing, which made everyone else laugh.

Bass glared and threw up his middle finger at Aaron who paid him absolutely no attention.

"Miles good to see you brother, you too Bass," Ben hugged Miles, but he could tell that both were a little weary what to do give their situation.

"You too brother, sorry about having to leave early last week, had to go get these idiots," Miles jabbed his thumb towards Charlie and Bass.

That must've been where he went the other night, but he never mentioned to Bass, course they didn't really talk about it much and he obviously wasn't going to bring it up now out of fear of Rachel blowing up in their face.

"Where were you two?" Rachel asked looking between Bass and Charlie.

It was Charlie who answered, "We went to get Miles a Christmas tree. He wanted one, but then he had to cancel because he was going to hang out with dad, so I just asked Bass to take me instead. It was the only day I had time to get him a stupid tree."

He had to hand it to her; she was a good liar, especially coming up with all of that on the spot.

Danny snorted, "a stupid tree that landed you two in jail," he laughed but then quickly shut his mouth when he looked at Rachel's horrified expression. He didn't know she wasn't aware.

Charlie stilled, preparing for the impact of her mother's fury, "Jail?! Are you serious, you were in jail? Miles how could you be so stupid?"

Rachel rose from her chair, but Ben had already gripped her shoulder, pushing her back down in hear seat when Charlie spoke up, "hey it wasn't Miles' fault, he wasn't even there."

Rachel processed the information then glared at Bass, "how could you let this happen Bass, I would've thought you would be more responsible than that?"

It's not that Bass didn't like Rachel, but he figured she shouldn't be throwing stones right now, especially when it was only a minor mishap.

Charlie again came to the rescue, "it wasn't his fault either, don't make this a big deal mom."

Rachel whipped her head around to Charlie, and shrugged off Ben's hand, "this is a big deal Charlie, do you know that could go on your permanent record, and why didn't you call me? Instead you called Miles of all people?" She sounded honestly hurt, but Charlie didn't seem fazed.

Miles sighed, "It isn't going on her record for god's sake Rach, you act like we all never landed in jail before. Baker was there he took care of it and he called me, they didn't even get their phone call, so you can sleep easy knowing she probably would've called you."

While Charlie was intrigued at the mention of them all landing in jail, and the way his eyes scanned over most of the adults in the room, excluding Priscilla, he was wrong. She wouldn't have called her mother; she most definitely would've called Miles, even if she knew he would've been pissed at them. She still would've rather handled him than her mother.

"Oh I feel so much better know that my daughter's livelihood lies in the hands of Jeremy Baker," she sarcastically retorted, "that still doesn't explain how you ended up in jail?"

This time she directed her question at Bass. Charlie spoke up, but Bass talked over her, "I just took her to let off some steam and chop a tree, it wasn't a big deal Rachel, but you're right it was a dumb choice on my part."

"There are places where you can chop trees you know?" That was the first time that Jason had said more than two words, and already Bass didn't like him.

He glared at Jason and gritted his teeth, "yes, so I've been told."

Aaron who had remained quiet during this whole thing chose now to interrupt before things escaladed, "ok then I think that's enough excitement for one night…honey is dinner ready?"

Priscilla nodded; they got the impression from her nodding that even if it weren't ready she would serve them raw food just to keep an argument from breaking out.

Rachel sat back down in her seat, glaring at Miles and Bass as she turned to Ben who took his place beside of her.

When no one was looking they both slipped a flask out of their pockets and took a swig. Bass leaned into Miles and spoke lowly, "this is a going to a long night brother."

Miles nodded as he continued drinking from his flask, "happy fucking holidays brother, aren't you glad you're family?"

Slipping the item back into their pockets, they made their way to the table as Aaron carried over all of the food, with Priscilla's help.

Somehow Bass had ended up at one end of the table beside of Charlie, who was sat across from Jason. Miles sat on the other side of Ben in between him and Jason.

On Charlie's other side was Danny, who obviously looked like he felt bad about getting Miles and Bass in trouble, but Bass just smiled at him. The twins sat at the other end of the table with Aaron and Priscilla.

"Ok everyone dig in," was the last words that were spoken for a while, as everyone took Aaron's words literally and chowed down, only coming up for air.

"So Jason how is your dad," Rachel's voice floated through the air as she looked down at him at the table.

Jason smiled politely, which pissed Bass off even more, "he's doing well. He and my mom said to tell you both hello."

"Please tell them we said the same," Rachel smiled at him. "It's nice that you could come tonight, and you look great, but I'm sure Charlie has already told you."

She looked to Charlie, indicating that if she hadn't told him then she should, but Charlie only smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Mrs. Matheson, you look lovely as well," that charming voice rubbed Bass the wrong way. Maybe because he had used that voice so many times, but it was irritating hearing someone else use it.

"Please just call me Rachel, how are your classes going? Have you been able to convince Charlie to take any that you're taking? I'm sure they would all probably be more useful," she half joked, but Charlie knew she was being dead serious.

Bass didn't know what classes Jason was taking, but it must've been something Rachel approved of and Charlie had no interest in taking, "I don't think Jason could convince me to take molecular biology, that doesn't scream excitement to me."

Charlie laughed, and Bass smiled, she always expressed her mind even when she knew it was going to start a fight, "maybe not excitement, but it screams stability," was Rachel's sickeningly sweet answer.

"As soon as Jason takes an in depth analytical poetry class, I will voluntarily sign up for a biology class," Charlie returned the smile at her mother who looked to Jason, taking Charlie at her word.

Unfortunately he just nervously laughed, "Sorry to disappoint, I'm not very good at poetry so I think I'll have to pass."

Rachel slumped back in her chair defeated, sipping out of her wine glass, "well maybe one day Charlie will get some sense and realize what's good for her."

Jason smiled, but Charlie on the other hand was fuming. Bass could tell she was shaking with rage from his seat beside her. He reached out before he could stop himself, not looking at her, but placing his hand on the exposed part of her upper leg, down to her knee and back up again.

He drew calming circles on her leg with his thumb, hoping that would help her, but it only made things more complicated for him. It had the desired effect on him because he could feel her rage dissipating as she returned to her meal. But Bass didn't take his hand off Charlie's leg.

"This is really great Priscilla," Charlie smiled warmly at Priscilla, which caused a chorus of agreements to be heard across the table. Priscilla looked genuinely humbled by all of their compliments; Aaron really was a lucky guy.

After they finished eating, everyone retired to the living room where Priscilla had desserts spread out on a few of the tables, along with some eggnog, which neither of the twins liked so she made them hot chocolate instead.

Bass made a beeline for the corn flake desserts before anyone else could get there, and grabbing a handful, stuffed them in his mouth only to turn around to find everyone laughing.

Once he swallowed the first handful he shrugged his shoulders, "what you don't know what you're missing. This is the sh—stuff," he looked over at the twins who were giggling at him.

By this time Miles was sufficiently buzzed, stealing drinks out of his flask when no one was looking, Bass however only lightly tipsy. They both stood beside one another when he got an idea and leaned towards Miles, "10 bucks if you spike the eggnog? It'll be like junior high prom all over again," Bass laughed mostly just joking.

Miles scoffed, "pfft that was your idea."

Bass laughed, "yeah but who got blamed for it?"

Miles thought about it for a moment, then snarled, of course it was him that got in trouble for Bass' idea. This time if he got caught, he was so throwing Bass under the bus.

Silently, he crept over to where the eggnog was, trying to avoid getting caught, but mindful that he himself was sorta tipsy. He took out his flask and emptied the rest of the contents in the bowl, not doubting for a moment that neither twins would be drinking from it, considering they both scrunched up their noses and made gagging sounds at the idea of it.

Once he was satisfied that it was all gone, he swirled around the spoon that was in the nog and poured himself a glass, two of his favorite things mixed together. He also took Bass over a glass.

Even though he wasn't crazy about eggnog, he gladly took the spiked nog from his hands and greedily gulped it down, "cheers buddy." Bass smiled over the rim of the cup as Miles did the same.

Both adults were oblivious to Danny, who seemed to be drinking down the nog like it was water. They didn't know that Priscilla mostly made it for him because it was his favorite.

Charlie got one cup of it and gave one to Jason, but after a few drinks she turned to Jason with a look on her face, "does this taste funny to you? It's kinda like it has a kick to it?"

Jason cautiously looked at her, then at his untouched cup, "well I'm not going to try it now if it tastes funny."

Charlie just rolled her eyes and downed the rest of her cup, and his as well since he wasn't going to drink it now.

Jason wasn't much for talking about anything other than how he was doing in martial arts and how much he could bench press, which wasn't a thrilling topic for Charlie. She was only humoring her mother by asking him to dinner tonight. She was always on Charlie's case saying how nice and handsome Jason was.

Jason was handsome, she wasn't going to deny that, but he was about as interesting as watching paint dry.

She looked around the room and smiled when she saw how much fun Danny was having with the terrible twins, although now when she called them that Danny glared at her. He had obviously bonded with them after their hours in the car singing frozen.

Rachel and Ben were seated on the couch, munching on fruitcake as they listened to Priscilla and Aaron telling funny stories about their kids.

Charlie took that moment while Jason was still going on about weights and whatever else he was talking about to look at Miles and Bass. They were still hoarding the corn flake things as they were laughing. Miles looked intoxicated and Charlie laughed, Bass didn't look quite as tipsy, but he was getting there.

Jason noticed the direction of her gaze and commented on it, "what's with those two? They seem pretty close…and both hate me."

Charlie laughed, "They're practically brothers. Miles has known Bass his whole life."

She chose not to comment on their not liking Jason, because she knew they didn't. They were over protective, especially Miles, and especially when it had to do with Charlie.

"So Bass is basically your second uncle?"

Charlie looked disgusted and crumpled up her nose, "god no, Bass is not my uncle."

"Is that because you're attracted to him?"

"I'm surprised you got your head out of your ass long enough to notice anyone else," Charlie replied bitterly.

"I just think it's kinda odd how close he is to your uncle."

"Well at least he isn't in love with himself," Charlie retorted in a snarky tone, which shut Jason up. She was obviously on the defense about Bass. She was much more interested in him than she was leading on, Jason didn't have to be a genius to figure that out.

At that moment Danny stumbled towards Charlie and threw his arms around her, "Charlie…you're my favorite sister you know that?"

She laughed and hugged him back, confused at his mood, "I'm your only sister idiot."

Danny laughed as he pulled back to look at Charlie, "you would still be my favorite. Even if you were mean to me when we were kids and tried to push me off stuff."

Charlie knew instantly what was wrong with Danny. He was drunk. She couldn't help the laughter that exploded from her and caused her body to shake all over. Whoever supplied him with alcohol was going to be in so much trouble, and she had a feeling it was Miles' fault. But she had been watching them the whole night and they were only drinking eggnog.

"That's what was in the eggnog," Charlie suddenly exclaimed, surprisingly both Danny and Jason, who had no idea what she was talking about.

She rolled her eyes at Jason, "remember before when I said the eggnog tasted weird, it was spiked."

Danny just laughed, "I think you're just drunk on holiday cheer," he booped her nose.

"I'm pretty sure one of us is drunk, but it's not on holiday cheer. You better lay back on the eggnog before mom finds out."

"Before mom finds out what?" There stood Rachel, hands on her hips, her brows furrowed in confusion. It took her only seconds to take in Danny's appearance to see that he was drunk; she knew that look all too well.

"What the hell have you been drinking?" She lowered her voice trying not to alert the children what was going on, her eyes darted to Miles and Bass who were in the corner laughing.

When it got quiet they met Rachel's eyes. Bass panicked when he looked at Danny, wobbling on his feet, and Charlie who was trying to control her laughter.

"Miles I'm pretty sure you got Danny drunk," he tapped Miles on the shoulder who was engrossed in eating whatever he could get his hands on.

Miles turned around to see a pissed off Rachel stomping towards them, "oh fuck, Bass this is your fault."

He threw his hands up and backed away, "I didn't make him do it," he cried out to Rachel who was now fuming in front of them.

"Bass lower your damn hands, do you really think I'm that stupid? Of course it was both of your faults. How dare you take it upon yourself to pass along your nasty habit to my children Miles."

Ben joined Rachel, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, "Rachel don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. I'm sure they couldn't possibly know that he liked eggnog that much," Ben laughed.

Rachel wasn't having any of that, "that's their problem, they never think."

"I'm willing to bet that runs in the family," Ben said quietly, which caused Rachel to turn her head towards him. He was always so passive about things, she had no idea how he did it, but that pissed her off even more.

"Honestly Ben I don't know why you let things roll off your shoulders so much, why is it always my responsibility to discipline?"

"Because you take it upon yourself to try to control everything instead of just letting some things go. I guess it has to do with the fact that you obviously can't control yourself so you try to control everyone else. It's harmless Rachel, it's not like we weren't drunk at 16, at least Danny is at a party with family."

Danny groaned at that moment and grabbed his head, "I don't think I ever want to feel this way again."

Ben laughed, and Miles did too until Rachel glared at him, "see Rachel, this was a valuable lesson to Danny. And as punishment, Miles can take Danny home with him and tend to his drunken self the rest of the night."

Miles started to protest until Ben's look shut up him, it was probably only fair that he had to watch the kid and clean up after him if he tossed his cookies.

Miles looked at Bass, "what are you smiling at, you're staying at my place tonight, this was half your fault."

Bass laughed, "yeah partially my fault, the part where I don't have to tend a drunken 16 year old. My punishment was giving you 10 bucks, which I'll gladly give you."

Miles groaned and Rachel yelled, "you dared him for $10, oh that's really mature you two."

Bass smiled, "would $20 have been more mature?"

Rachel looked at him dumbfounded. It was mostly the eggnog encouraging Bass to provoke her. She threw her hands up and turned away from them, "I can't even, it's like I have four teenagers."

"Hey what did I do?" Charlie shouted.

"I was including your father this time."

At that Charlie laughed out loud, for once it wasn't her fault, and for that reason alone she was laughing.

"Well at least this time the whole night wasn't ruined due to spiked eggnog," Priscilla laughed, noticeably thinking about some memory, but everyone else was looking at her with funny expressions.

The last thing anyone expected to come from her mouth was stories about drunken holiday parties. When she saw their bewildered expressions she just laughed even harder.

Maybe Danny was right, maybe even was just drunk on holiday cheer. Except for Danny. Danny was very much drunk on whiskey.


	6. Penguin Christmas Sheets

The effects of the eggnog wore off for Miles about an hour later, Charlie and Jason had already left, much to Bass' disappointment. Danny was left lying on the couch; he was about as sober as he was going to get for the night.

Miles offered to let Bass crash with him, since his house was closer, but Bass had other plans so he just declined, telling Miles that he would rather go home and just sleep because he was getting too old for parties.

Miles just laughed and nodded while he attempted to drag a half-asleep, half-drunk Danny out of the door, grumbling about how much the kid ate or something along those lines.

Bass stayed behind, collecting the treats Priscilla made for him, and even offered to help clean up a bit. He was trying to buy time and put as much distance between him and Miles as possible.

When he was confident Miles should be home, he said his goodbyes to Priscilla and Aaron and went in the opposite direction of home.

It was like he had no control over his body, nor his feet that were currently pressing down so hard on the gas pedal it was a wonder it didn't get stuck.

He made it there in record time; lucky he didn't get stopped by any cops because he wasn't in the mood to deal with them for a second time this week. As anxious as he was to get there, he spent 20 minutes with the car turned off just sitting in the parking lot, trying to build up the nerve to go and knock on the door of Charlie's apartment.

Why was he acting like this was such a big deal, they were friends right? Friends could go to each other's houses and talk couldn't they?

He tried to rationalize it but in every scenario he couldn't fathom a reasonable answer to any of those questions. Instead he just stopped thinking, which was usually the point where his plans went downhill.

Getting out of the car, he dragged along his feet that felt like concrete blocks to the door, very much aware of his sweaty palms and racing heart. This was ridiculous, a girl had turned him into a puddle of mush, and it was like being 17 all over again. But she wasn't a girl, and she wasn't just anyone, she was Charlie.

His internal battle was still going on, but apparently his body didn't give a damn because without warning he lifted his hand to knock on the door.

When it didn't fly open immediately he took that as a sign someone upstairs was looking out for him and retreated back in the direction of his car.

But of course, if he didn't have bad luck he would have no luck at all, "impatient much, you waited all of one minute."

At the sound of her voice he turned around to see Charlie holding the door open, wearing an amused facial expression. The decorative, lavish dark blue dress she wore at dinner was replaced by red and green plaid shorts accompanied by a red tank top, leaving all of the right amounts of her body exposed to him.

"Well you know how long it takes my brain to start working, it just now chimed in that this was probably a bad idea," he laughed but when she didn't he cleared his throat, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his jeans, "where's Jason, I figured he would be here."

At this Charlie did laugh, "bullshit, if you thought Jason was here then you sure as hell wouldn't have come. You only acknowledge me when there's no one around."

"That's not true, I acknowledge you plenty of other times," and not counting the times he acknowledged her, in more ways than one, in his head.

"That may be, but you only ever flirt with me when you think no one else is looking or can hear."

She raised her chin, daring him to contradict that statement, but he didn't, "I wasn't flirting with you Charlie…that's just how I am, you can ask Miles he'll tell you, but that's kinda what I came to talk to you about."

Charlie's face grew cold as she went to step back inside her apartment, "ok then, if that's all you came to say you can rest assure Bass."

He rushed ahead, sticking his foot in the door to prevent her from closing it further, "Charlie just…hold on," he exclaimed, pushing past her to go into her apartment.

He knew that he just crossed a line, mentally and physically, but he didn't want to be arguing out in the street, airing out their dirty laundry to all of her neighbors. "I just came here to make sure you knew that. I wanted to be clear."

She flung the door closed, turning around to meet his gaze, her face seeping anger, "who are you trying to kid Bass me or yourself because I'm not stupid. I got your message loud and clear, I understand, I copy, whatever. But here's a tip, you should really get your shit together because saying one thing and doing another is confusing, and I don't like to be played with. I was fine the other day when I kissed you and you didn't respond."

Bass internally winced at the memory he knew that would come back to bite him in the ass later, "you're right, I'm sorry that I've been playing hot and cold with you Charlie. I should've thought things through in the beginning and made the responsible choice…I am older."

"I don't give a shit about responsible choices, if we were going that route then we're both fucked because neither of us make 'responsible' choices. But for my sake, and yours, make a choice that's YOURS, and for the love of god, stick with it man."

He knew that she was right; the choice was his to make. She already made her choice that night in the park when she initiated the kiss, and she stuck by her decision.

Now was the time for him to make his decision, but it wasn't as easy for him, "when did you become so wise?" He laughed, but she just shrugged her shoulders waiting for the rest to come, "again you're right, I'm making my decision now."

He lightly smiled and solemnly turned to walk towards the door, knowing he had to brush past her as he exited. Once he got that close to her, he was instantly regretting his choice, and Charlie could tell he was by the change in his posture, "ok Bass, but remember you made this decision and I'm too old to be playing games with you."

Charlie's tired, defeated voice, broke Bass' heart, he turned to look at her, but her eyes remained fierce, "if you leave, have the decency to stick by your decision and not confuse me anymore. I'm tough, but I can't take your verbal rejection after it's followed one of your many flirt comments or your bullshit need to touch me. If you're rejecting me because you don't have any feelings then let your mind know so it can stop with the wishy washy shit."

He stopped in his tracks, no longer caring about leaving, "you think I'm rejecting you because I don't have any feelings?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "to be honest I have no idea, but I told you to make a decision that's all yours and this was your decision so…"

"Me making a decision isn't as easy as you making one Charlie. Your family is going to love you no matter what choices you make because they're you're family. Miles…Miles won't care what decision you make because he'll write it off as being young and not knowing better, or he won't even care because who is he to scold you about bad choices."

The fury that was arising in his voice was becoming evident even to himself so he stopped and caught his breath, but that left the door open for her to jump in, "well if you're making this decision for Miles then I hope you and he are happy together. Obviously you care more about his friendship and his feelings than mine, which I'm not bitter about don't mistake me, I understand he's your family—"

"They aren't my family though Charlie, I don't get the same luxury you do. It's not that I care more about Miles, it's that he's all that I have left and I can't lose him," his voice breaking at the end made him turn around, not wanting to face her.

He wasn't going to cry, but he didn't want to see the look of pity in her eyes at his confession, he was going to blame that one on the eggnog.

He was pulled back into the moment when he felt warm hands on his biceps attempting to turn him around. He complied and was inches away from Charlie's face, "what if I made the decision and you were just an innocent bystander? Hell, blame it on the eggnog, which was partially Miles' fault so really he's to blame."

Bass smiled at her train of though, which somehow always found a way to blame Miles, but they both knew using the eggnog excuse was long gone.

He shook his head, not convincing either of them so Charlie, for the second time, put herself on the line. Leaning up on her toes, she pressed her lips firmly against his, while still holding onto his arms.

This time he pulled her in closer, his hands settling on her hips, pulling back enough to grunt out, "Charlie we can't, I should be the responsible adult here and nip this in the bud."

His words were saying one thing, but his hands moving up and down her sides were saying a different thing, and Charlie never listened to reason anyway, "we don't have to make this a big deal, we can just see if this is enough to get it out of our systems."

Bass didn't believe the words she was saying, hell even Charlie didn't believe this would be enough, but it was enough to convince Bass.

He took one look at her, "well since I'm already fucked," Charlie opened her mouth to protest but didn't get one word out before Bass slammed his mouth down on hers, instantly silencing all the questions she had brewing inside her head at his statement.

She gave into his touch, which trailed from her arms all the way down to her hips where he grasped tightly, pulling her against him so that there was no space left in between them. She molded her body with his, as she swung her arms to lock around his neck.

Not anticipating the force behind Charlie's movement, Bass stumbled and crashed into the wall behind them, reaching his hands just below her ass, signaling to her that he wanted more. She obeyed, jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist; her center moving roughly against his present jean-clad erection.

Needing to catch his breath, Bass moved his mouth to the side of her neck, shoving her hair out of the way. He left hot, open mouth kisses along her neck, stopping every so often to nip at her delicate, exposed skin, which invoked needy moans from Charlie's lips.

He laughed as he felt her growing impatient, wanting to go further, but Bass hardly thought that against the wall was the appropriate place.

He let go of her, letting her feet touch the ground, only to be met by what looked like a pissed off Charlie. Instantly he held his hands out and smiled, "I'm not stopping, I just didn't think you wanted to do this here," he motioned to where they were still in the foyer of her apartment.

For the first time Charlie looked around and noticed her surroundings, at that point she didn't care if they were outside. She giggled, "I didn't even notice."

He looked around her apartment for the first time, he had never been in here, but this didn't look like anything he had imagined. It was very clean, neat, organized, nothing like Miles' house, which was kinda what he was expecting.

It was then he also noticed that she hadn't decorated one piece of her own apartment with anything Christmas-y, "for someone who likes Christmas your place sure doesn't reflect it."

Charlie just laughed, " I told you I wasn't really all that into Christmas, I'm just a good actress. And I'll have you know that I did decorate, I put Christmas penguin bed sheets on my bed, that's about as festive as I've gotten."

She made the comment off handedly, not meaning anything else about it, but Bass' eyes twinkled and he smirked, "Charlie if you wanted to get me in bed, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to lure me in with penguin sheets."

She raised one eyebrow, looking at him skeptically, "I didn't think that penguins would turn you on."

Laughter erupted from his mouth as he smiled down at her, "there's a lot you don't know about me Charlotte."

His sultry voice turned the conversation back around from playful to sexually as he moved closer to her, "I'll have you know that I think penguins are very sexy." His fingertips grazed her arm leaving goosebumps along her flesh, "in fact the only thing sexier is you, looks like Christmas came early for me."

Charlie smirked at him, "I hope that's the only thing coming early tonight," she winked at him as she walked to her room, turning around only to see him shocked expression at her words.

She laughed, shaking her head as she turned around, heading for her room. Bass never knew that Christmas bed sheets could turn him on as much as they did right now, course he had never been wrapped up in them with Charlie.


	7. More like Mistle-No

A Matheson family tradition included snow, and lots and lots of it. Along with the snow their traditions included partaking in events on said frozen form of water.

Every year they took a trip to a ski lodge close to their home in Chicago, only staying one night, to ski, snowboard, and as always, sled. This was something that Ben and Miles did with their family growing up, and Ben passed the tradition along to his children, and to Rachel who wasn't a big fan, but always had a fun time watching them and playing referee when they argued about who won the race.

The Matheson's were definitely competitive, and that was putting it lightly. It was mostly Ben and Charlie who were competitive, complete with insulting and trash talking. Danny didn't care much if he won or didn't, but he liked arguing.

This year would be like no other, except for the fact that Ben wanted to invite Miles, "Rachel he's my brother, this was our family tradition before anyone else ever came along, and he's home this year. I'm inviting him and Bass. You said it yourself that it was over and done with right?"

She nodded which satisfied Ben who went about calling him.

She said those things, but every time she saw Miles it was getting harder and harder. It was easier when she was mad at him, but she couldn't be mad forever, that was too exhausting. But if she wasn't mad, then she was sad. She missed him, and that made her a liar. She lied to Ben and told him she didn't love Miles when the truth was, she always did and she always would.

But if anything Rachel was a good liar, she just had to keep the charade going until after Christmas and they wouldn't be having as many family get togethers.

"Miles said they would love to go," Ben returned to the kitchen where Rachel was still sitting upon the stool he left her on.

She looked up at him and put on her fakest, most genuine smile, "that's great though it'll be even harder to play referee when you all start fighting like children as usual. It's bad enough with just you and Charlie," Rachel laughed as Ben nodded.

Even though she wasn't all too happy with Miles and Bass tagging along, that didn't mean she wasn't happy to see Ben look so cheerful. He really did love his brother, so much that he was willing to put everything aside; he was stronger than Rachel could've ever been.

3o minutes later Charlie was honking her horn from the driveway, turning the car off when she saw her dad flagging her inside from the front porch. She bundled up, wrapping her scarf around her neck and pulling her hat over her ears as she made her way out into the snowy blizzard.

Snow was one of Charlie's most favorite things, but right now she was not in the mood for all of this blizzard nonsense. She needed the weather to chill out and slow down for a minute until they got to the lodge.

Kicking her boots off, she closed the door of the house and hugged her father, "hey I thought you said we would all be ready to go?"

Ben laughed and released her from the hug, "we are ready just had a change of plans, Miles and Bass are coming along too."

When her face fell a bit Ben looked at her funny, "is something wrong? I thought you'd be happy you got to spend time with your favorite uncle and your partner in crime," referring to Bass and their short time in jail.

Charlie shook her head, "no everything's fine, I'm so excited they're both coming, I was just trying to think of my strategy to win against Miles. Everyone knows he cheats and is a sore loser."

Ben laughed, "I know that all too well, trying growing up with him, it was even worse."

Charlie just smiled. It wasn't that she wasn't happy they were coming; she just didn't want another argument between her mom and Miles to break out, or worse. Plus she hadn't really talked to Bass after that night, so the last thing she wanted was for him to make things awkward.

"I was thinking for the main event this year, how about a snowball fight?"

She turned her head to look at her father who was all but jumping for joy. She couldn't help but giggle, he was like a kid in a candy store, "ok dad, that sounds great, doesn't matter what you call it, I'm going to win."

She rubbed her nails against her coat and flipped her hair over her shoulder while Ben just narrowed his eyes, "we'll see about that young lady."

She was still laughing at him when Miles and Bass entered, looking at her, "What's so funny?"

"Dad's just grumpy because he knows I'm going to win," Charlie said smugly looking at Miles.

"Please we all know that I'm going to win," Miles snorted confidently, Bass just rolled his eyes, always the confident bullshitter.

"Please all I have to do is dangle some whiskey in front of your face and you'd be instantly distracted."

At that comment Danny groaned and turned almost a shade of green, "please let's not talk about whiskey. I think I've had enough for my entire life."

Miles looked ashamed, clearly Danny did not get the Matheson drinking abilities, it was probably Charlie who got those qualities. She laughed, ruffling Danny's hair, "oh you poor baby," she cooed at him as he swatted at her hand.

"Ok children let's not start the fighting now," Rachel smiled as she stepped in between the two of them before they could get out of hand. She smiled as friendly and politely as she could to Miles and Bass before she went to grab the small luggage bag from their room.

Since they were only going to stay one night no one was bringing much. Charlie filled her bookbag full of stuff and that was all she planned on taking, likewise Danny had a bookbag full of stuff, mostly just food because 'he was a growing boy,' that's what he always said anyway.

Miles and Bass filled their duffle bags full of clothes and other provisions they might need, trying to anticipate the unexpected.

"I just talked to Aaron, and he and Priscilla are going to meet us there so we only need to take two cars," Ben informed them, coming from the kitchen.

"I can drive," Bass spoke up, volunteering because he was the better driver in snow between the two of them.

"I'll ride with them then, that way I don't have to drive my car, better your car gets wrecked than mine," Charlie smiled at Bass, going past Miles outside to her car where her bag was.

Bass followed along behind her with Miles in tow, leaving Rachel and Ben to decide who was driving between them. "I'd be happy to drive," Danny suggested, to which both Ben and Rachel laughed, that was a no.

Charlie tossed her bag into the back seat of Bass' car, remembering the last time she had been in there was when she was drunk, and sure enough when she peered in the back seat floorboard the sweater was still laying there.

When she caught sight of it she looked up at Bass who smiled, obviously knowing what she was looking at.

She waved to Danny, who said he was just going to ride with their parents, and hopped into the back seat of the car.

"Are the terrible twins coming?"

Charlie shook her head at Miles' question, "I don't think so, they're with Priscilla's mom for the weekend I think."

That was about the only conversation that was had in the car during the whole trip. Bass turned on the radio shortly after, and Charlie was engrossed with looking at the window, watching the snowfall. Every so often she could feel a gaze on her, which she knew was Bass. He was watching her facial expressions, taking in the happiness he saw etched across her face.

He focused on the driving when he saw that the snow was picking up, thankful when he saw the ski lodge in sight.

Gathering their bags in hand, they entered the lodge to find that Priscilla and Aaron were in the lobby waiting for them, and not 10 minutes after they arrived, Ben, Danny, and Rachel showed up through the doors.

Priscilla had already checked everyone in, not backing down when she said that they were paying for everything because it was nice enough that Ben invited them to share in the family tradition.

She handed Rachel the keys so that she could figure out who was rooming with whom. Rachel was the control freak, so Priscilla assumed she had already figured it all out down to the wire, but Rachel wasn't planning on Miles and Bass when she calculated.

"We can get another room if we need to," Priscilla suggested, but no one wanted to spend more of their money.

"No it's fine, you and Aaron can share the room with us. Charlie and Danny can room with Miles and Bass. There's a pull out couch in the room as well you can guys can decide amongst yourself who sleeps there."

As soon as the words left her mouth Charlie snatched the key from her mother's hands and took off running as she laughed, "Won't be me."

By the time everyone else made it up to the room Charlie was spread out face down on the bed furthest away from the door on the left hand side. Danny dropped his bag by the door and immediately ran over and jumped on her exclaiming, "dog pile."

She grunted, as Miles jumped on top of Danny, "you're crushing me you big apes."

Danny just laughed, "that's what you get for forcing me to sleep on the couch."

They moved off of her still smiling, "make Bass sleep on the couch and share with Miles."

Danny started shaking his head immediately, "no way am I sharing with Miles, last time I had to share an air mattress with him I ended up on the floor with a concussion."

Miles sighed, "You didn't have a concussion, and besides was it really my fault you rolled off the bed?"

Danny just looked at him incredulously, "it wouldn't have been your fault if I just rolled, but considering you kicked me, I'd say that was your fault."

Charlie jumped up from the bed, "ok children play nice, I'm going outside." She was in such a good mood that when she passed Bass she winked, and he just laughed.

"Is she always like this?" Bass motioned with his head to where Charlie just was. Miles and Danny both just nodded.

"She's worse when there's snow involved, I swear she should've been a penguin or something."

Bass almost choked on his laughter, even though neither of them had any idea what that meant to him they laughed.

Sitting their stuff down, all three boys made their way back down to the main lobby where Charlie had ran off to before. Bass stopped dead at the top of the staircase when she saw that Charlie was talking to none other than Jason Neville. He didn't think they were still friends, at least he hoped they weren't.

He wasn't jealous as much as he hated the smug asshole.

Catching a glimpse of them, Jason just smiled at them, but Bass pretended not to notice him and continued down the stairs beside Miles who spoke up, "oh great that asshole kid is here. 10 bucks says this was Rachel's doing and Charlie will blow up at her."

Bass just laughed not taking the bait. That was a bet he was sure to lose.

"Jason it's so good to see you again, are your parents here?" Rachel asked looking around the corner, obviously trying to play it off. Either she had mentioned it to them or Jason was stalking Charlie, and she knew her mother too well.

Jason nodded and was about to speak up when his parents walked over to where everyone was, "Mr. and Mrs. Matheson, how great it is to see you all again, you remember my wife Julia?"

The man swept his hand over the tall, longhaired, gorgeous lady standing by his side. Charlie didn't make it far enough in the relationship, or whatever it was, stage to meet his parents, but she could already tell that his father seemed like a jerk and his mother had a snobbish air about her.

Miles must've been thinking the same thing because when Charlie looked over at him, while his parents talked amongst hers, he had his face scrunched up. At that she laughed and he instantly smiled, realizing he had been caught making a face.

Bass didn't make any face, but rather his face remained blank during the whole thing. Charlie could tell he was less than happy, but he smiled when he caught her staring at him. Refusing the instinct to blush Charlie turned back around to her parents who were still blabbing.

"Charlie would be happy to show Jason around later today, right honey?"

She hated when her mother put her on the spot like that, and this time instead of just agreeing she looked to her father, "actually dad and I have a game to get to, family traditions and all, but it was nice seeing you."

She didn't stick around to hear what her mother had to say, she ran out of the door and towards the ski slopes, waiting for the rest of the family to join.

The first ones out the door were Bass and Miles who were laughing, "I'm pretty sure Rachel turned 10 shades of red just then, I didn't even know there were 10 shades of red. Kid I'd watch out if I were you."

He smiled at her sympathetically before continuing to laugh.

"It isn't funny Miles she's trying to marry me off. The stiff and uptight Barbie would be my mother and father-in-law, can you imagine?"

Apparently picturing was a bad idea because that made both laugh harder at the situation. When he came up for air, Miles wiped at the tears in his eyes, "you have to admit it's kinda funny."

Crossing her arms over her chest, her expression remained impassive; "I bet you wouldn't be laughing so hard if I told you that mom was currently in the process of trying to set you up with a 'nice girl' she knows from work."

He stopped laughing immediately, "you aren't serious…are you?"

"I don't know, I guess you'll just have to find out when the time comes."

He called out to her but she had already started walking away when Danny and Ben came out the front door. Rachel came out shortly after, less than thrilled with Charlie, but she got over it quickly…almost too quick for Rachel.

They all spent a couple of hours on the slopes. Rachel mostly stuck to the bunny slopes, she wasn't coordinated as it was, but she had company there because Aaron was as graceful as a newborn baby deer.

Priscilla on the other hand was very graceful; she spent a lot of time with Charlie and Danny, laughing as she watched them interact between one another.

Ben and Miles, like any older siblings chose to start at the very top and work their way down, daring one another to do stupid stuff. Ben mostly just laughed off Miles' offer, but Bass almost always agreed, he wasn't one to back down from a challenge, and Miles knew that.

When they finally made it back to the lodge, all in one piece, a Matheson family miracle, throwing their coats on the floor, the moved to the fireplace to get warmer. They were outside a significantly longer time than anyone else.

Charlie's face conveyed her amusement at how cold they were, while she just sipped her hot chocolate, rolling her eyes, boys.

Once they all thawed off for the most part they took a spot on the couch saving their strength for the snowball battle later.

"What's the matter, you guys too old for this?" Danny laughed when Miles jaw clenched, eyes closed, too lazy to even glare at him.

"I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was," he said in a singsong voice.

Bass snorted, "you tell 'em Toby Keith, don't go to sleep there grandpa."

"Shut up dick," Miles grumbled as he opened his eyes, "I was just resting my eyes for a second. You're going to regret that later Danny when I'm drowning your ass in snow."

"Whatever you say uncle Miles, I won't hold my breath."

Everyone else was just laughing, even Charlie until she saw Jason standing to the side out of the corner of her eye. She didn't dislike Jason; she just wasn't interested in him at all, no matter how much her mother kept forcing him on her.

"Charlie honey invite Jason over, I think his parents are here on business of something."

"Mom if you want to date Jason, I'm sure dad would understand, he can't exactly compete with a 22 year old," she laughed as did Ben, but Rachel just silently narrower her eyes at Charlie.

"It was just a joke, sheesh," she muttered under her breath.

Rachel didn't wait for Charlie to invite him; she raised her hand and waved him over, Jason was all too happy to comply.

"Charlie could you go and get some more hot chocolate?" Her mother smiled at her.

She nodded, now that was one favor she didn't mind doing, it got her out of having to spend more time listening to her mom rave about Jason and all the wonderful choices he was making.

As soon as she went to pass Jason, she smiled politely, as her mom called out, "oh look, there's mistletoe above your head."

Charlie looked up, but she could already tell from everyone else's face that there was indeed mistletoe. She groaned internally, peering up at Jason's smirking face.

She was going to politely decline when he took the plunge and kissed her. She was so shocked that her arms remained at her side. She didn't move, this was like one of those awkward moments she had read about, but never actually experienced.

Lucky for her Jason seemed to be caught up in himself too much to worry about if Charlie responded or not. When they broke apart Rachel was smiling, but she was probably the only one.

"Well alright then," was all that Charlie said as she went around him in search of more hot chocolate and something else to wash down the bitter taste of Jason's kiss.

Mistletoe….more like mistle-no.


	8. Snow Sexcapades

When she came back Jason was gone and everyone looked refreshed. Ben smiled at her from his place on the couch, "are you ready to lose?"

Confidently Charlie scoffed, "you ask me every year, and every year I don't recall losing."

"It's cause you have selective memory like mom," Danny commented which earned him a slap upside his head from Rachel. He just rubbed at his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well this year we're doing teams, and since I'm the oldest I get to pick first," Ben said smugly, like he was proud of his idea.

Charlie assumed that he was going to pick Miles, which would've been his smartest choice, instead he shocked everyone, "I pick Bass."

Miles pouted, "you pick him over your own brother? That's cold man."

"He picked Bass over his own wife," Rachel cried from her seat, trying not to smile at Ben.

"Sorry honey, but I want to win," he smiled at her then looked at Miles, "and Charlie was right, you're way too easy to distract."

"Pfft, yeah right, if you think I'm bad you haven't seen Bass in battle," was Miles' reply to which Bass only rolled his eyes.

Miles was half right, if Charlie was on the other team, then Bass was much more likely to be distracted.

"Well then I choose Miles, no question."

"At least someone wants me, thank you Charlie, you're my favorite you know" Miles joked.

Danny burst out into laughter, "she just wants you to do all the work while she bosses you around."

She wasn't going to deny it so she nodded her head, Miles groaned, "ah hell."

Ben and Charlie took turns until finally all the teams had been sorted out. Even Priscilla and Aaron were participating, after Ben all but made Aaron who didn't seem to be thrilled about going out into the cold for hours to throw more cold objects at one another.

The only rules were if you got hit with a snowball you were out there were no boundaries or limits. So it was kind of like dodge the snow, which Aaron complained about saying he was never chosen for sports for a reason.

And that reason was pretty evident when he was the first person to get out, although to be honest it looked like he ran in front of a snowball on purpose.

Shortly after Priscilla joined her husband, claiming she didn't want him to sit out all by himself, but really she had just been caught off guard by Bass, who felt momentarily bad about getting her out when she made him those corn flake things he liked so much.

But Bass' eye was on a much larger prize, he wanted to take down Charlotte.

That was easier said than done because Miles and Charlie worked about as well as Miles and Bass worked together. They complimented one another like they were counterparts. Even though they were painfully alike, in battle, even if it was just a snowball fight, they were opposites.

Charlie was always on the offense, she ran head first into things, but Miles was a defensive person so it was his job to watch Charlie's back as she ran blindly into battle, very much like Bass.

She was pretty sure she saw Rachel go down, but she wasn't focusing on anything else, other than finding Bass. She knew that he would be the hardest opponent to take down, but she figured it would be easier for her to do it rather than Miles.

Bass knew Miles too well, they could both anticipate one another's moves, but Charlie was still a bit of a mystery to Bass. She could use that to her advantage.

"I'm going to take down Bass, can you handle them?" Charlie called out to Miles who just grunted a yes.

With that confirmation she took off running in the direction she saw Bass go. She spun around, not seeing him anyway, until she heard the crunch of snow behind her. She turned just in time to dodge snow flying at her, picking up her feet as she ran further out towards the tree covered forest.

She zigzagged in between trees in an attempt to confuse him, but Bass was smarter than she was, he was a Marine.

He made a beeline to cut her off at her next point, but she swerved when she noticed him out of the corner of her eye. Taking sheltered around a big tree, she waited there. If Bass was going to get her out, then he was going to have to work for it.

He laughed at her stubbornness, slowing down as he went forward, bending down to roll some snow up into a ball, "Are you giving up Charlotte?" He was taunting her and she knew it.

She stepped out from behind the tree with her arms raised high in the air and her head hanging down.

Standing before him, looking pitiful as ever, he realized he couldn't do it. He sighed as he let the snowball drop from his hands, but as soon as it did Charlie's face turned up into a full on smile.

She grabbed a handful of snow as fast as she could and dumped it over his head shouting, "I win!"

She moved to run away, but Bass was faster than her, catching her around the midsection. She hadn't anticipated this.

He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her back to his front, so he could lean down and whisper in her ear, "what do you think your prize should be?"

His breath felt hot against her ear and if it had been any other girl besides Charlie it would've been enough to make her melt right there on the spot, but Charlie could play the game just as well as Bass could.

She turned around in his embrace to run her tongue along the shell of his ear, "hmm probably something you can't give to me outside."

Bass ran his hand up to cup the side of her face, running his nose along the column of her neck, "there are a lot of things I can give you outside." He trailed off suggestively, discarding his gloves on the ground, going back to the task at hand, "for instance I can give you this," he kissed her collarbone, sucking on it hard enough to leave a mark, luckily it was in a place her shirt would cover.

"I can give you this," he moved his mouth to suck on the lobe of her ear, and kiss her right behind the ear, a place he knew that drove her crazy. All the while Charlie just stood there dumbfounded, her breathing becoming more erratic and shallow with every kiss he placed.

The other hand that was on her face starting moving lower down her body, so subtly that at first she couldn't tell, but then she could feel his hand cupping her through her jeans, "I can give you this."

He didn't kiss her this time, she knew what he was suggesting they do, in public, in the middle of it snowing, but none of those reasons seemed like good enough reasons to stop to her.

Her eyes snapped opened to meet his as she caught her breath, "well you know how greedy I can be, I can't stop until you've given me everything."

That was her version of a yes and Bass knew it. Charlie was allowing Bass to live out his fantasy of having her out in public, and he couldn't be happier, "well you know how I'm always happy to give."

He smiled at her before a look of lust gave over his eyes. He immediately pushed them backwards, a groan escaping Charlie's lips when her back came in contact with the tree.

Bass began to leave kisses all over her neck, her moans getting louder when he pulled the zipper of her jeans down, teeth by teeth, "are you sure this is really a good idea Bass, anyone could see?"

"If you can still form coherent thoughts then clearly I'm not doing something right." After that she couldn't have responded if she wanted to. If she had been forming coherent thoughts before she certainly wasn't now as he dipped one finger inside her folds.

She tightened her grip on his shoulder; digging her nails in so deep he was sure they would leave marks tomorrow. With her other hand, she pulled him in closer to her, leaving her hand sprawled out on his lower back as his mouth remained attached to her neck.

Encouraged by her response, he moved to push two fingers inside of her, the only sounds that could be heard were moans and grunts, which made Bass smile against her neck.

When her moans got to be too loud, he swallowed them with his mouth, roughly slanting it across hers. She took the extra step and forced her tongue into his mouth, which he was happy to comply with, letting her take the lead and explore all the cervices of his mouth as he continued to work her over.

He could tell she was getting close, so he slowed down, just to piss her off. She hadn't notice his speed before, but she definitely notice when he slowed down, biting down hard on his lip, she all but growled at him.

If Bass wasn't entirely entertained with teasing her, he would've been more turned on, but instead he just laughed, slamming his lips back against hers in a needy kiss.

He figured a pissed off Charlie was the last thing he needed so he took his own advice and sped his fingers back up until he felt her core tightening around his fingers and her body shake with desire. With one last tightening she convulsed beneath him and he pulled his fingers out just in time to wrap his arms around her, keeping her from landed ass first into a mound of snow.

Ragged and out of breath, Charlie smiled up at him, and Bass decided in that moment if he were to die, which was a likely fate when Miles and Rachel found out, he had no regrets. He would do it all over again, just to see her post-sex glow, and feel the outpour of love radiating off her body.

"Do you want me to return the favor?" She waggled her eyebrows at him.

Bass shook his head, "hell no are you crazy? It's too cold out here for that, I happen to value that part of my body. I'd like to keep it."

Charlie laughed, finally regaining the feeling in her legs as she stood up fully, "well if you want to keep it we better get going back to where the others are. Otherwise they will come looking for us."

Bass nodded in agreement as he let his arms fall down by his side, watching as Charlie zipped her pants back up.

"By the way, I saw your face earlier when Jason kissed me, " she was laughing recalling that shade of green was not Bass' color, "don't worry Jason doesn't think penguins are sexy, and in my book that's a swipe right there."

Bass smiled, a rare and genuine smile at her statement about penguins. He moved closer towards her and caressed the side of her face with his thumb, "his loss, anyone would be crazy not to be turned on by penguins."

Charlie laughed hysterically at him as she turned around, swaying her hips as she walked back to the lodge.

Bass groaned as he watched her hips, "on second thought I would like to take you up on that favor, cold smold."

She didn't turn around, but he could see she was laughing at him still, "Too late Grinch, the offer is off the table."

He cursed all the Mathesons, but in that moment he was most definitely cursing Charlotte Matheson who would be the death of him, in one way or another.

"There you two are, we've all been out for awhile, we were waiting on you to idiots to get back and tell us who won," Miles stood as soon as he saw Charlie jogging towards them with a smile on her face.

He already assumed that she had won due to the smile on her face, but that wasn't the reason she was smiling. Nevertheless she raised her hands and smirked, "I am still the reigning champ, sorry dad, next year you better make better choices."

With that comment Charlie stuck her tongue out at Bass who just rolled his eyes, "next year you better play the game with someone who doesn't cheat."

"I did not cheat," both Miles and Charlie cried out at the same time, as everyone proceeded to laugh at them.


	9. Double Date Disaster

"Miles you're down for the count," Nora laughed as she watched Miles trying to sing along to an Eagles song playing, but only ending up making side to side head motions and butchering the lyrics. "Do you want to take you guys home?"

She was mostly asking Bass because of the two he was the most sober, but he was pretty buzzed by this point. Not drunk enough that he wasn't still thinking about Charlie and the way her long legs wrapped around his waist days before. He was breaking his own rule of thinking of another woman when he was out on a date, but fuck if he couldn't stop himself from picturing Charlie, still tasting her on his lips.

He looked at the woman sitting to his right, Duncan was gorgeous, as fierce as she was smart, and quick witted. She owned a boxing gym close to Miles' bar where at lot of their old buddies went to get their ass kicked back into shape by Duncan. She never went to war herself or enlisted, but her brothers both spent time in Iraq.

She had all of the qualities that Bass liked in a woman, but she lacked one key thing: she wasn't Charlie. Charlie was all of those things too, but unlike Duncan, Charlie was unpredictable and unafraid. She reminded him of how he used to be before the crash and before war. She was unapologetically Charlie, and he loved that about her.

"Nope," Miles answered as he placed emphasis on the 'p,' "I already called Charlie she will be here soon."

"You called Charlie?" One the last word Bass' voice went up in octave, he was fucked, no scratch that, he was definitely not going to be fucked by Charlie for awhile when she had to drive their drunken asses home after a double date. A date that Bass didn't even want to go on in the first place, but Miles wouldn't shut up about it.

He had been on his case lately saying that he hadn't been out in awhile, which was unusual for Bass. He made a joke that he was surprised Bass has lasted this long without sex. Bass was definitely not going without, he just couldn't talk to Miles about his sexcapades, not when they involved his much younger off-limits almost daughter.

"Yeah what's the big deal, she's seen me drunk many times, plus you went and got her drunk ass the other day, so she owes us," Miles said as he tossed back another drink. Perfect, Miles was getting even more hammered and Bass couldn't be more sober than in this moment as he waited.

"Is she going to text us when she's here?" Bass was looking to Miles to answer, but he was hardly in the best shape to be processing questions, he wasn't good at that sober although it usually had to do with the fact that he didn't listen.

Taking Miles phone from the table, he texted Charlie, asking her to let him know when she was there. He didn't want to text her from his phone, even though he was positive she already knew he was there with Miles.

She either didn't get the message, or she didn't listen, either way he saw a bundled up Charlie enter the bar, pulling the cap off of her head, hair cascading down her back. As soon as she entered men starting looking at her, eyeing her up and down as though she was there for their entertainment. Bass' blood started to boil, that's why he didn't want her to come into the bar.

Not paying any attention to the other guys or their stupid comments, ranging from 'hey baby you look nice,' to 'wanna come take a ride on Santa's lap,' she tucked the hat in the back pocket of her jeans as she went to where she saw a mass of disheveled dark brown hair that could only belong to Miles.

"You know when I said we should do more family bonding stuff I wasn't exactly picturing me having to pick you up from a bar," she rolled her eyes at Miles when he leaned out of the booth, almost falling had it not been for Charlie's body that was standing at the end of the bench.

She used the palm of her hand to steady his body and push him back up into a sitting position, "come sit down and have a drink, you sound too wound up."

Before she could refute his offer Miles was motioning to the bartender to bring them another round, "no because I know you, one drink never means one drink and then who would drive us home?"

"Oh come on Charlie, the drinks are festive and shit," he whined, sticking out his lower lip, something Danny did quite often to get his way with Charlie, "plus you haven't seen Nora in ages."

Charlie hadn't even noticed there were other people before she had been so distracted, but she took a minute now to look around and smile at Nora. She looked the same as always, still incredibly beautiful, still way out of Miles' league, "it's good to see you Charlie."

She reached across the table when Nora stood up to hug her, it's good to see you too Nora, you look nice."

"And this is Duncan Page," but Charlie wasn't paying attention to Miles, instead she fixated her gaze on Duncan who was sitting awfully close to Bass.

She was striking, in a different sort of way, where it wasn't necessarily her looks that made her beautiful, although her looks were far from plain. She had a commanding presence, a confident air highlighted by the smirk that danced across her face. Charlie hated to admit it, but she actually looked really good with Bass.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Charlie reached out her hand, doing the polite thing, to shake her hand.

Duncan's eyes flashed to Bass' for a split second, long enough that only Charlie noticed, before she took her hand and grasped it firmly, "nice to meet you too kid, I've heard a lot about you."

The term 'kid' didn't usually piss Charlie off, but hearing it come from her mouth instantly put Charlie on the defensive.

"See look they're red and green, told you it was festive, you can count this as a family holiday outing" Miles laughed and motioned to the drinks placed before them on the table. When she still hadn't sat down Miles frowned, "just one drink, I promise one means one, I can count."

He was holding up two fingers, which made Charlie laugh and roll her eyes playfully, "you can't count for shit, but luckily I can so as soon as I drink this we're leaving. Mom called and said she needs help tomorrow doing something for her company's Christmas party since she's the only one planning it."

"Are you playing the dutiful little daughter role?" Duncan addressed Charlie teasingly.

"I don't know if dutiful is a word people would use to describe me," Charlie tossed back smartly at Duncan who seemed to be enjoying the way she could rile up Charlie so easily. When she made a comment about being dutiful she could see Bass' mouth twitch up into a half smile out of the corner of her eye.

Miles groaned, "Oh is that what she wanted earlier? Well….fuck, I think I drunkenly agreed we would help."

Bass' ears peaked up at the mention of 'we' of course Miles would take it upon himself to drink and text, "I am not in the mood for anymore parties, I think I've had about as much holiday spirit as I can handle this year."

Mostly what he had enough of was Rachel and her forever bossing everyone around, but especially Miles. Using him at her beck and call, when she had to know that Miles still loved her and that it was hard for him to be around her. But Rachel didn't care…no she never cared. She might've accused them of not thinking, but better to not think than to not care.

Charlie however took that statement to mean something totally different. When he said he was done with the holiday spirit and everything that had to do with the holidays she thought he was talking about her. She wasn't mad because she was the one that started it, telling him they could just have some fun, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't upset.

And an upset Charlie acted almost identical as a pissed off Charlie, "well no one is forcing you to help. If you don't want to, then just don't show up. I'm sure we can manage."

For the first time that night she looked directly at Bass, and when she did she could see all different emotions running over his face, but first and foremost she saw regret.

He didn't say anything, but Duncan laughed from beside him, "I like you kid, you have spunk."

Nora nodded in agreement, "that's Charlie, of course would could blame her when she spends most of her time surrounded by these idiots. I have no idea how you do it."

"Honestly I have no idea either," Charlie said shaking her head.

Miles' signature face of the night included a full on pout, accompanied by mass amounts of whining, "hey we aren't that bad."

Nobody listened to his protests as Nora continued, " and you guys have been cooped up together since the holiday season started, but at least no one has killed each other yet. In my family that would've been a miracle, probably the reason we don't do a lot of holiday things together. Plus I kinda hate the holidays."

Charlie laughed as she imagined Nora's family. She had met her sister one time before when Miles and Nora was dating, and they were an interesting duo together. Kinda like her and Danny, but they argued a lot more, probably because they were both female, "that's understandable I'm not really a huge fan of holidays myself."

Bass had already heard her say this before, but it felt different tonight when she said it, like she was talking about him. Of course it could just be the alcohol talking.

Poor Miles, who no one was paying attention to, pointed an accusatory finger in her direction, "bullshit you decorated all of Rachel's house, it looks like a damn Christmas explosive went off in there, with all the red and green shit hanging thingys, and the shit all over the railings and—"

"As beautiful as that description is, could you fast forward to the end?" Charlie just rolled her eyes and laughed at him.

"The point is that you love Christmas. Hell you and Bass went to jail for Christmas, if that isn't love then I don't know what is."

At the mention of jail Nora's face contorted into confusion, but Duncan's face was only interested when he mentioned that she and Bass had been there together. At that she smirked a knowing smirk at them.

"Bass got you thrown in jail?" Nora looked like she wanted to laugh but was internally debating whether or not it was a laughing matter.

Charlie started laughing when Bass glared at Nora, "technically I didn't get us thrown in jail, smart mouth over here did."

That's when Nora couldn't hold it in any longer, and Duncan as well chuckled a bit, Charlie held her head high like she was proud of that, and she kinda was. It was a damn good story.

"Was Jeremy at the jail?" It took Charlie a minute to realize that it was Duncan who was asking, and she was asking Charlie directly.

She nodded, "Baker right? Yeah he was the one who called Miles and then sprung us."

"I always did like Jeremy, he comes to the gym often. I guess it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes, right?"

If Charlie had been drinking then, she probably would've spit it out, luckily Miles jumped in at the right moment because Charlie could see that Bass too was curious about her answer, "no offense but I don't want to hear the answer to that question, it would be too weird."

Because he didn't explain what part of it would be too weird that left room to speculate that he meant it would be weird if Charlie thought Jeremy was hot because they were all the same age. When she snuck a glance at Bass, she could tell he was thinking the same thing.

She loved catching up with Nora, and she even liked Duncan, it wasn't Duncan's fault she was out on a date with Bass, Charlie couldn't fault her for having good taste, but she was getting tired. She hadn't touched any of her drink, but it wasn't like Miles would notice anyway.

"Ok Miles I promised one drink, and it's gone so it's time to go, " she stood up from her chair, but apparently drunk Miles was still observant enough to notice when there was perfectly good alcohol available for consumption.

"You didn't even touch it yet, that means we have time for another."

"I already drank my first one Miles, you were just too drunk to notice," she laughed at him when he frowned; she knew she got him there, he wasn't that observant.

"Ugh ok fine," he attempted to get up from his seat, but as soon as he stood vertical he tripped over his own feet and Charlie caught ahold of his arm, stumbling back a few steps in the process.

Bass, who instinctively jumped as soon as Charlie started stepping backwards, placed his hand on the small of her back to keep her from landing on her ass in the bar.

She mumbled a thank you to him as he quickly took his hand back.

"I don't see why we can't just sleep here," Miles complained as he tried to zip his coat. Nora got fed up with him and swatted his hands out of the way and took over for him.

"If I were Charlie I would've left your ass here," Nora said louder than necessary and smiled when Miles grabbed his head and put a finger to his lips in an attempt to silence her.

She turned to Charlie, "good luck with these two tonight, at least Bass isn't wasted. I've had to deal with both of them drunk many times, think I'd rather voluntarily sign up to let your mom boss me around. Night Charlie, it was good seeing you, night Bass."

Nora kissed Miles goodbye on the way out and shortly after Nora left Duncan was up and leaving too, "nice to meet you kid."

If Charlie didn't hate her smugness and the permanent smirk on her face, she would actually be friends with Duncan. She liked people who could take an insult and give one right back. Plus she had to be one tough woman to deal with both Miles and Bass.

Duncan grabbed her things and left, but not before leaning down to kiss Bass. Charlie had already turned her gaze when she leaned down because she knew what was going to happen, and she wasn't really mad, but that didn't mean she wanted to see it either.

Instead she busied herself with trying to make Miles stand upright and hold his own weight, but every time he slouched back down and put her weight on Charlie who basically had to carry him, and he was far from light after he all but drained the bar dry.

"I'll take him," she heard Bass' voice at her ear and turned around to see him standing there. His low, deep, sultry voice that did so many things to her body. She cleared her head of that train of thought before things took a drastic turn and they did leave Miles there.

"I have a better idea, why do you both take a side and carry me to the car."

"Or we could just leave you to get to the car on your own if you're searching for better ideas," Charlie stared him down when he pouted, there way no way that she was carrying him.

No way in hell. Absolutely no way was she…going to be able to refuse him and that stupid look on his face. That's how she ended up on one side of Miles and how Bass ended up on the other side, all but carrying him to the car, which was parked close thankfully. She was so going to get him back for this.

"Just put him in the backseat so he can sleep it off," Bass suggested when Charlie had already rounded the car and was making her way to the passenger side.

"No, he'll roll around in the back seat and hurt himself or worse my car. I can take it from here," she waited for Bass to step out of the way so Charlie could maneuver him into the passenger seat, without bumping his head, like he needed to lose anymore brain cells.

He didn't know why she was being so hot and cold tonight, one minute she seemed like everything was alright, but then she was trying to put as much distance between the two of them as possible.

He sighed as he climbed into the backseat, and Miles turned the radio off as soon as it started blaring, "Christ Charlie are you trying to go deaf?"

Charlie just laughed as she left the radio off, not wanting to disturb her highness, "whatever old man, I'll take Bass home first and then I'll drop you home."

That would be way out of the way and unnecessary. Bass was already planning that, when she dropped Miles off, he would be able to talk to her without having to worry. Now she was messing up his plan, "that's further out of the way, it would probably be quicker to drop Miles first and then me."

He tried to say it nonchalantly, but he knew that Charlie picked up on his change in voice, Miles was too drunk to care who went home first, hell he would probably sleep in the cold car all night if no one took him home.

"Or Bass can just stay with Miles that way I don't have to go out of my way at all?" She threw the question out there, but Miles just grunted like he didn't give a damn, so basically it was Bass and Charlie passively arguing between one another.

"Can't, have to go home, especially if I have to go help Rachel tomorrow," he replied smugly from the backseat.

Charlie didn't argue with him anymore about it, she didn't care at the moment; she was so tired and mentally drained from school. She would just take Miles home first and then pretend to listen to whatever was so important that Bass couldn't wait to talk to her about. Although if he wanted to talk about tonight he was going to be disappointed because she didn't have much to say. She wasn't really much for confrontations or arguing unless it was with her mom, or it was playful arguing.

She turned on the Miles road and as soon as she did she heard a smack, a yelp, and a garbled "Charlie you made me bumpted my head," followed by more groaning.

She looked over at Miles who was pouting, holding his head, "why did you do that for?"

She just looked at him with a smile, "I didn't do it. It wasn't my fault you weren't paying attention when I turned."

"Why did you have to take the turn so fast?"

"You should've rolled your window down and maybe then you wouldn't have bumped your head," she suggested as he glared at her, but he didn't have long to argue because she was pulling into his driveway seconds later.

She let Bass help him to the door, figuring he could handle it from there. He took no time in getting Miles in and throwing him on the couch where he could sleep off the hangover. There was no way he was trying to carry Miles to his room, his highness would just have to deal with a crick in his neck.

When he got back into the car he noticed that Charlie had turned the music back on, but lowered the volume. She didn't say anything as she backed out of the driveway and made her way to Bass' house. In fact she didn't say anything at all, it was Bass who had to speak up first, not used to Charlie being so silent, "on a scale of 1 to 10 how pissed are you?"

Charlie just shook her head, "I'm not pissed. I'm just tired."

Bass knew better than to believe that she wasn't actually angry, "if it's about what I said, I didn't mean that I was tired of anything that had to do with you Charlie. I'm just tired of your mother and holiday parties," he laughed.

"It's ok if you are tired of me too, honestly Bass, I was the one who practically forced you into this whole thing. I really am not mad."

"You think you had to twist my arm to get me to agree to this whole thing?" Bass was looking at her incredulously, if she thought that, then she had no idea his real feelings, which was probably a good thing. She would probably run for the hills if she knew how he really felt.

"Ok maybe forced is a little strong, maybe coerced is a better word, after all it was the penguin sheets of mine that were your undoing," she laughed but Bass wasn't laughing. He was still caught up in the fact that Charlie honestly thought she didn't want him. "Besides I have a date thing I have to go to in two days. We're having a friendsmas get together thing and I had to bring a date, and it's not like—"

"It's not like you can ask me." He didn't say it as a question because it was the same reason he had to go on a date with Duncan tonight instead of Charlie, not that there was anything wrong with Duncan. If Bass was single he would most definitely be interested in Duncan, but unfortunately Charlie had ruined him.

She nodded, "exactly just like your thing tonight with Miles, so don't worry about it ok?"

She looked over at him, hoping that she was coming off friendly and not at all affected by this whole thing. She was one helluva a good actress. Bass nodded and smiled slightly, "yeah, ok then."

When she put the car in park at his house, he looked over at her and waggled his eyebrows, "wanna come in?"

Charlie just shook her head and laughed, "hmm as tempting as that is I'm gonna have to pass, you don't have anything to offer me, and I've got penguin sheets waiting for me at home."

Bass tired not to get too caught up and thinking about the last time he was at her apartment, but it was too late he could already feel the blood rushing to his member as he thought about Charlie.

At the same time Charlie looked down and saw why his face was scrunching up into an uncomfortable look. It took all her willpower to turn down his offer, but she really was tired, and she knew her mom would be calling early in the morning, but a few more minutes wouldn't hurt. Besides she owed him for the other day.

He must've been thinking the same thing because he immediately shook his head, "you don't owe me anything, don't worry about it, it isn't the first time."

But his reasoning was lost on Charlie when she already made up her mind. She unbuckled her seatbelt so that she would be able to maneuver better, as she leaned over and lightly ran her lips over his. Her hand trailed over his chest, until it found its home and she squeezed lightly, earning a moan from him.

There was nothing sexier than hearing Bass Monroe moan, especially when Charlie was taking satisfaction in knowing she was the one causing him to come apart.

As she kissed the side of his neck, he wound one hand in her tresses, while her hand that was squeezing his painfully throbbing erection, moved to unzip his pants, freeing him from the constraints.

When her cold hands came in contact with the warmth of his penis he yelped and jumped in his seat, Charlie just laughed against his neck, "it's 20 degrees out here, what did you expect?"

He didn't answer, he couldn't answer because Charlie had pulled away from him, trying to dislodge his hand from her hair. He looked at her momentarily confused, until the warmth of her mouth that was just placing delicate kisses along his neck replaced her hand, "ah, fuck, Charlie." He was definitely not cold now.

She ran her tongue from the tip, all the way up along the shaft, and back down again until she was done teasing him and took him, almost all the way into her mouth. She used her tongue to make swirls, letting her teeth come out and play every so often, which would result in him grunting.

Eventually his hands made their way back into her hair with a tight grip, "Charlie, don't….just for the love of god, whatever you do, don't stop."

She couldn't stop even if she wanted to at that point, hearing him whimper her name was like a drug, and she couldn't get enough of hearing his breathy moans. She could tell that he was getting close by the way his hips started to buck up, which is when she added her other hand to the mix at the base of his penis.

Without warning he pulled her mouth back to his and invaded it with his tongue forcefully. She was so surprised that she let out a yelp of her own, but quickly she continued using her hand to stroke him, as she let him take control of the kiss. He bit down on her lip, both tasting blood in their mouth, but neither stopping. And seconds after his hips bucked one last time before he came crashing down from his high.

She didn't remove her hand for a few minutes because she was still preoccupied with the kiss, but finally when he regained control over his senses, he moved to tuck himself back into place and zip his pants up.

He placed one last sweet kiss on Charlie's lips, before pulling back just enough to look at her face, "I may not have penguin sheets, but I have a lot more to offer you than an empty bed."

Even post-sex he was still a cocky, arrogant, son of a bitch. Charlie laughed out loud and moved to buckle her seatbelt back as she turned around to look at him, "that may or may not be true, but one things for sure we won't find out tonight."

He just playfully pouted before she shooed him out the door. Once he got to the front porch, he looked back at her one last time, which was a mistake. She sat in her car smiling, and nothing made Bass happier than seeing that face, he was confident that it was him that was down for the count, mocking Nora's earlier words. He was drunk on Charlie.


	10. Decapitations and Decorations

(Just an A/N to point out that there are religious mentions in the chapter, but I wouldn't really consider it to be disrespectful, however if you'd rather just avoid this chapter I totally understand. I'll do my best next chapter to recap anything that's important in case you don't read)

Charlie had no idea why her mother needed her help when it was for her company Christmas party. She had no idea why her mother even agreed to help decorate when, out of all the Mathesons, Rachel probably liked Christmas the least. Not only did Rachel not like Christmas, she was an awful decorator, that's the main reason Charlie took over the rest of the house.

Charlie suggested decorating the house as a family, but Rachel's need for perfection soon drove everyone else away. It took her almost an hour to string garland on one side of the banister outside. And no matter how many times Charlie told her it looked great, after Rachel asked for her opinion, she ripped it down and started over again. After the third time of her doing it Charlie finally snapped and told her that no one would give a damn anyway, it was too damn cold outside to worry if the damn garland was even.

Needless to say her mother resigned from decorating duties, or rather Charlie fired her from her job after that.

But at least Charlie didn't suggest they start decorating at some ungodly hour of the day, which to Charlie was anytime before 11, but last night she didn't get home until late. She wasn't one of those people who could function off a few hours of sleep. She needed 8 hours minimum in order for her to be her cheery, loving self. Or at least less of a cranky bitch.

"Miles if you aren't going to do anything productive then stop taking up space and playing with the garland," she snapped at him when she saw him dancing around out of the corner of her eye. Ordinarily she would've thought it was funny, but today was not one of those days. Today was one of those days where nothing was amusing. She wanted to get in and get out as quickly as she could so that then she would be free to go home and curl up in the warmth of her bed.

He stopped in his tracks to glare at her, "as much as I love getting on your nerves princess, I'm actually stuck in this damn twinkly shit. Why the hell does a place need so much of this?" He gestured with his hands to the sea of green, red, and gold garland, spread out in rings around him, minus the part that he was wearing.

She just shrugged her shoulders, pulling on her end of the garland to get allow slack as she pinned another notch above the window. Unfortunately her end was still attached to the part that had Miles in a death grip, like an anaconda devouring its helpless prey. As soon as she tugged at it, he pulled at the string around him, trying to unwind it in the process, but all it did was create a bigger mess and tear down everything Charlie had pinned up.

It wasn't a lot, maybe four or five rungs, so realistically it was nothing to get upset about, but as soon as it started to dismantle, Charlie got off of the ladder and walked over to Miles.

Everyone else in the room was laughing, even Bass who could tell that she was getting irritated, but Miles just remained dead still as she stalked over towards him. Before he even had time to back away or make a joke about how uncoordinated she was with sharp objects, she sliced through the tinsel around his shoulder with the box cutters in her back pocket.

Coordination may have not been her strongest suit, but when she was mad she had an eerily precise accuracy about her. "There, now go sit down or something before you screw up everything else. I'm not in the mood to clean up your mess," she snapped at him.

She knew she was being a bitch, and internally she told herself to get a grip, but the lack of sleep was beginning to get to her.

Naturally Miles just assumed that she was pissed at him for drunk calling her last night at 2 in the morning, but it wasn't that. She would never turn someone down who needed a ride, especially after they had been drinking. It was really just lack of sleep.

On the flip side, where Miles was a bit intimidated by the creepy way Charlie just casually whipped out box cutters and started whacking away at him, Bass found it to be erotic. The physicality of the action instantly turned him on, but violence had always been a thrill for him, not the death that came with violence, but the act of fighting itself. It was enthralling on anyone, but when Charlie was involved, it was enticing.

Emotions and thoughts ran away with him until eventually he found himself daydreaming long enough to break something.

The crack followed a popping sound, and Bass looked down to see that in one hand was a head, and in the other was the body. "Shit!" That was the first thing that came out of his mouth, which he had meant to be silent, but when he looked around he realized that not only had he said it out loud, but rather loudly.

"I sincerely hope that 'shit' was a good shit and not a bad shit," Charlie looked like she was on the brink of losing her shit. That would not have been a good shit.

Bass just stared at her, closing the piece up tightly in his fist so that she wouldn't see what he broke, "well I'd say it's pretty good, just means more of the wise man to go around," he chuckled at the end.

Realization swept over Charlie's facial features, eyes growing wide in the process, "you broke a wise man?" She all but shouted at him. By this point the others were trying their best not to laugh at the situation, well all of them but Miles who always found it hilarious anytime Bass got in trouble and was yelled at.

That's the reason most of their childhood he talked Bass into things, and then turned the blame on him. He had a sick, twisted sense of humor, but like he was any better.

"I don't think he's that wise anymore without a head," even mumbled and garbled underneath his breath, Charlie could still hear him.

She had developed a keen sense of hearing due to Danny's asthma when he was little. Often times, she would lie awake at night, half conscious, just listening to the sound of his erratic breathing, until his breath would return to normal. The times when it didn't go back to normal was when she sprung out of her bed, and went into his room right next-door.

"You decapitated the wise man?" Her shaking voice mirrored the rage rolling off of her body in waves. "I don't think a head makes all the difference. You have a head, but definitely lack the wisdom part, otherwise you would've already started running," she crossed her arms over her chest giving off vibes that almost dared him to continue arguing.

He just rolled his eyes and laid the broken wise man down on the table in front of him, "please I'm not afraid of you, and besides at least he isn't nearly headless."

For the first time that afternoon Charlie laughed a real, genuine laugh at his dumb reference, "it isn't me you have to answer to, and if you say you aren't afraid of my mom you're lying."

"She isn't even religious, hell half of the members of this company probably aren't," he shouted in annoyance. Leave it to him to break an important piece of the nativity scene. Charlie was right; Rachel was going to decapitate him next if he didn't fix this mess.

"Well you aren't religious either, but before my mom finds out I suggest you start praying to someone to deliver your ass," she said smugly as she went back to tacking up the garland as Danny snickered holding the other end.

Bass just made a face at Danny, grasping whatever object was closest to him, which happened to be the manger, and tossed it at Danny's feet.

He went to dodge it, but remembered to let go of the garland so he wouldn't drag Charlie down, or rip down her handiwork again. "You're going to hell for throwing baby Jesus' bed."

"I'm pretty sure my spot in hell has been reserved for years, by this point it wouldn't surprise me if I've been upgraded to V.I.P." he rummaged through some of the crafting boxes Rachel had brought out earlier incase of emergency.

It was like she knew something bad was going to happen, not a far off assumption with those bunch of misfits, but yet she still yelled and acted surprised when something did in fact go wrong. He would never understand that woman.

Finally after hunting through almost every plastic container, one full of extra baby Jesus', which still baffled him, and sticking his finger on every straggling thumbtack, he found crazy glue.

It wasn't as good as it once was before, but at least the head was back on the wise man and the show could go on.

"It's crooked, he looks like he has a crick in his neck."

He turned his head to see that Charlie was staring critically down at figure. Bass was actually kind of proud at his crafting skills, but then Charlie had to come over and burst his bubble, "well he probably does, he's been standing for a long ass time. Let's see you do any better," he went to hand the figure to Charlie but she instantly refused.

"Oh no, you aren't going to pin this one on me, I'm not getting involved. You decapitated the wise man, it's you who is going on the naughty list, not me."

"Maybe Rachel won't even notice," but as soon as the words left his mouth, both he and Charlie started to laugh. Like perfectionist, controlling, bossy Rachel would ever overlook something as obvious as a wise man with a tilted head.

Charlie shot him a sympathetic glance when Rachel entered the meeting room. She wasn't sympathetic enough to stick around though. She took off in another direction, muttering to her mother something about going to decorate another room for Santa who was visiting the workers' kids tomorrow.

"How is everything going in here?" She was already looking around skeptically, holding her breath, when she asked the question.

You'd think after knowing them for most of her life she would realize by now, asking them to do anything was pointless. They either ruined it, argued, or just plain didn't even do it.

Danny snorted, "pretty good for us, I'm not so sure it's going well for the poor decapitated wise man."

What a rat Danny was, selling Bass out like that, what a very Matheson thing to do, which is why Bass couldn't help but smile until he came face to face with a les than pleased Rachel.

She looked down at the wise men on the table, her eyes zeroing in on the victim, "did you even try to put his head back on right? It looks like you just slopped some glue on it and threw it together Bass."

"What the hell do I look like to you Martha Stewart? It's a fucking clay figurine Rachel, you try making sure the head is perfectly connected to the neck when his head is the size of my thumbnail."

"Well I wouldn't have broken it in the first place," of course she wouldn't because she's Rachel, and she never breaks anything. That's what she thinks at least.

Bass huffed and crossed his arms over his chest until he realized that's what Charlie always did; he was spending too much time watching her. Now he was picking up on her actions, "you're the one who asked us here for help. You know I don't do crafts and shit. You can abuse Miles all you want, that's on you if you want to be a cold hearted bitch towards him, but I'm done."

Rachel's face showed the obvious surprise she was feeling at Bass' outburst, but even more she was feeling regret when he mentioned her actions towards him and Miles both.

He was right, she had been using them, making them come to everything, and it was for selfish purposes. She couldn't say goodbye to Miles. Granted she had already put a stop to everything, it didn't feel real; it wouldn't feel real until she put some distance between the two of them. And she couldn't do that. But she also couldn't continue to string him along out of selfishness, and then get pissed at them because they didn't even want to help in the first place.

"And why the hell does your company have a container full of extra baby Jesus', but not one damn extra wise man huh? That's not too wise of them now is it? And why the hell are they even setting up a nativity scene?" He threw his arms up still ranting as he looked for a way out of this damn place. He had enough of Rachel and her criticizing for one day, there wasn't enough booze in the world to make him go back and finish setting up that scene.

Besides, Bass thought he did a damn good job fixing that figurine, so he had a little tilt, drink enough and you won't even notice.

Clicking heels against the concrete floor haunted Bass for minutes until he grew tired of listening to the sound of her shoes making contact with the floor.

Expecting to get another ear full, he was thoroughly shocked when he turned around to see Rachel who looked ashamed, upset, and maybe even a little hurt. "Bass I'm sorry, you're right, I've been a huge bitch since you guys got back home and that's the last thing either of you deserve after where you've been."

Hell had frozen over, pigs were flying as they spoke, Rachel Matheson was actually apologizing, which shouldn't have surprised Bass as much as it did. She wasn't a terrible person…she just handled things terribly.

He went to open his mouth, but she raised her hand, "wait, let me finish, you're right I've been so selfish. I just—I don't know how to let him go Bass. How do you let someone go that you care about, but you know you aren't good for them?"

He was the wrong person to be asking that question to, but he assumed Rachel was talking about the death of his family. How did he let that go? And truthfully he didn't have the answer to that question, and he probably never would.

In that moment however the only person he was thinking about when Rachel posed the question was Charlie. How could he let her go, because he knew that it would probably be the best decision for them both if he did, when he didn't know how.

It would diminish Rachel and Miles' relationship to compare the two situations. Bass hadn't know Charlie as long as they had known one another, and he definitely hadn't been in love with her as long as they've loved each other.

But in his mind it felt the same. The same heartbreak and apprehension that Rachel felt, Bass felt too.

He just shook his head, tucking his hands inside the pocket of his jeans, "I don't know Rach, I don't think you ever do really let go of anyone, but you try to make the best decisions that you can for the people you love."

"And do you think the best decision would be for me to let go of Miles?" The way she set the question up reiterated the fact that she already knew the answer.

There it was, the dreaded question where she asked about his opinion. If he said yes then he felt responsible to do the same with Charlie, and if he couldn't do it either then he would be a hypocrite. But if he said no then what? Then would he feel free to tell them about how he felt for Charlie, whatever those feelings were?

"I wish I could give you the right answer, hell I wish I could give you any answer, but it can't come from me. It has to come from you, it has to be a decision that is yours and yours alone to make. Whatever you do though, whatever choice you make, just have the decency to stick to it because no one likes mind games."

Wise beyond her years Charlie's advice stuck with him from the moment he barged into her apartment, where she all but cornered him and threw at him some of the best advice he'd ever received, until this moment.

It was kinda funny that he was quoting Rachel's own daughter back to her, when he was pretty sure she would never listen to Charlie's advice if it came from her own mouth. Maybe it had to do with Rachel being the mother, or maybe it had to do with Rachel not thinking that Charlie knew anything about love or life.

On the second account she was oh so wrong, Charlie knew much more than she let on. She was the silent observer who didn't always look like they were paying attention, but always was, Bass found that out quickly.

"Can you just please stay and help, just a little longer? You can go help Charlie since handling delicate things is not your forte," she recommended, laughing at the whole incident for the first time.

Rachel wasn't a dull, stick in the mud person; she was actually a very fun person from what Bass remembered from her younger years. Just goes to show what love could do to a person.

Moving without his own accord, Bass' head bobbed up and down, to which Rachel smiled as she walked back through the double doors leading to the meeting room.

"Damn, this is probably how Miles gets talked into things," Bass thought to himself. At least now he was banned from finishing the rest of setting up the nativity scene, but that meant that now he had to help Charlie with whatever she was doing, and he had no idea where she went.

Doing the smart thing, she ran as soon as she saw her mother; Bass should've taken a note from her book. Pausing three quarters of the way down the hall where soft Christmas music was coming from, Bass turned the knob of the door revealing a half decorated room, and a fully passed out Charlie on the floor.

Sprayed snowflakes garnished the window in a faux frosty look that was finished off with elaborately hung garland framing the window. It was a picturesque scene, like something from that of a movie, no doubt had to be Charlie's handiwork. In between the windows sat a large, red, velvet seat that had a sign reserving the spot for the stand in Santa coming to visit tomorrow.

For such a beautiful well-put together scene, Bass couldn't focus on anything other than an angelic Charlie sleeping peacefully on the floor. Around her lay bare, unfinished Christmas presents, decorations for underneath the blank tree in the room.

"Must've been all that bitchiness that wore her out," he muttered although he wasn't sure why he was whispering, she couldn't hear him. Instead he audibly sighed as he bent down to collect the wrapping paper and other things necessary to finish what she had started.

He laid them in a pile further away from where her unconscious body lay, taking note of the gentle way her body moved up and down slowly as she inhaled and exhaled. She was even more beautiful when she was asleep.

Crouching down beside of her, he stripped off the jacket he was wearing, laying it across her body, and brushed some of the dangling hairs off of her face, letting his fingers linger on her cheek until he heard a noise behind him.

Instincts kicked in and he jumped up quickly, avoiding jarring Charlie out of her sleep only to find that it was Danny leaning up against the door frame wearing an amused, knowing look, "I'll just uh, let everyone know Charlie is asleep and you're finishing up in here."

Bass, dumbfounded at being caught in a vulnerable moment, could do nothing but stare at him wide eyed and nod.

Danny just quietly chuckled and went to close to door behind him, saying something that sounded like 'not so scary and tough now.' To which, after he had left and Bass could process what just happened, laughed at.

He busied himself for about an hour, taking the time to carefully cut and wrap the remaining presents as he stuck them under the tree. Growing up his mother was always precise about wrapping, not that she was anal about it, but she was just good at it, actually she was good at everything. She would teach Bass and his sisters how to craft things and always had the perfect amount of patience, which Bass never had and still didn't, for reference you could ask the headless wise man.

With the last present wrapped adorned with a red bow on top, he set out to finish decorating the tree, which as a kid was his favorite part about Christmas. Mostly he liked that part because he was allowed to put anything he wanted on it, which he took full advantage of one year and put everything he could find that was shiny onto said tree. It was probably one of the oddest, most horribly decorated trees in all of existence, but to Bass' mother it was a masterpiece.

The light reflecting off the gold ornament brought to mind so many memories that Bass didn't hear Charlie who had already sat up from her prone position on the ground, and was staring at him, "don't think too hard about that or you'll break your ball."

He didn't break it, but it rolled out of his hands and landed on the ground near Charlie's feet. Leaning forward, jacket sliding down her chest to reveal her shirt that had fallen down a bit in her sleep, she picked up the ornament and held it out to Bass.

He just smiled and took it from her grasp, "well sleeping beauty some of us had a job to finish. And you call me a Grinch."

She just laughed, eyes roaming around the room, taking in all that he had accomplished while she slept. "For someone who wasn't good with clay figurines he made one hell of a gift wrapper," Charlie thought when she saw how nicely done the presents had been wrapped, "this looks too good to be true, did you really wrap those or did you bribe someone else into doing it?"

He raised his eyebrow, "who would I have bribed that could pull off that excellent wrapping….Miles or Danny because your mother sure as hell couldn't be bribed, not by me anyway."

That thought must've already crossed Charlie's mind when he answered because she said nothing else about it.

Instead she got up slowly and let his jacket fall to the floor, sauntering over to where he was standing by the tree, "was this your redemption to get yourself off of the naughty list?" The question rolled off her tongue seductively as her hands glided down the contours of his chest, revealing in the feel of his muscles against the palms of her hands.

Bass laughed, "I'm pretty sure I'm still on the naughty list for many things that I can't get redemption from."

Lust took over her emotions and filled her eyes so that when she peered up at Bass with a smirk on her face his breath caught, "maybe you just haven't been paying the right kind of homage," she guessed as she softly pushed at his chest until the middle of his calves hit the back of the chair, his legs buckling.

As soon as his ass hit the chair Charlie swung one leg over so that she was sitting fully on top of him, one leg on either side, as she looped her arms around his neck. His hormonal self took over and grabbed at her hips before his mind could tell him to stop, pulling Charlie in closer until she was placed directly on his growing erection.

When a soft moan escaped her lips, Bass's eyes snapped to hers, "Charlie we can't do this here. Rachel and Miles are down the hall, not to mention your brother who already caught me touching your face earlier."

If he hadn't been Bass Monroe Charlie would've sworn that he was embarrassed at having been caught in the act, but Miles had described him many times as being very good with women. He couldn't have been embarrassed, "I don't see why that's a problem, if that didn't stop us last time in 15 degree weather, I don't see why it has to now."

Latching her mouth onto his earlobe, she gave him little room to deny her, not like he would be able to anyway, he was still a man, and she was still Charlie.

"Santa has to sit on this very seat tomorrow you know, in a room where there will be children present. Doesn't that cross your mind at all?"

She continued her assault down his neck, and then back up to whisper in his ear, "I don't think Santa would mind. He can't be that happy and not be getting laid."

As seductive and alluring as Charlie was she was also very funny, Bass couldn't stop himself from laughing, but he choked on his laughter when she ground her hips down against his. The hold on her hips tightened as he all but shoved her harder down into him, "Charlie…" he whimpered into her ear as he drawled out her name.

Any time she heard her name on his lips it sent a shock straight through her body down to her core. If anyone could make her cum just by saying her name it would be Bass, but she remained strong, wanting him to at least be inside her when she came.

With a speed that neither knew she possessed, she unbuttoned her pants, pulling them down so that they pooled at her feet. Not wasting any time she unbuttoned Bass' pants and shoved his boxers aside, shutting his protest up as she took his member out and positioned herself to sink back down.

Soft moans filled the room as Charlie's hands latched onto his shoulders in a death grip. Bass didn't want to stop, hell why would anyone want to stop, but his mind got the better of him, "Charlie…fuck I don't, I don't want to stop but—we should….we should use protection, this isn't being caref—"

"Already covered," was all that Charlie said, but it was the breathy way she said, chest rising closer to his body, that quieted all of his objections.

The only thing that could be heard now was noises with the occasional 'fuck' thrown in, by Bass of course; Charlie was much more of a moaner than she was a talker.

Of course Charlie chose the tantalizingly slow pace that drove Bass crazy, and they didn't have all the time in the world considering that they really could be caught in this compromising position that wouldn't have been as easy to explain as the first time.

Taking the lead, Bass flexed his hands getting a better grip on her hips before roughly slamming her down onto him, repeating the process until Charlie got the idea that he wanted to go faster.

She smirked at him, but complied with his demand, rolling her hips down onto his dick faster as his hips raised up to meet hers with inhumane speed.

She was getting close by this point and she could feel that he was too, but he was still thinking with the wrong brain because he interrupted her whimper, "I still don't think I should—"

Rotating her hips, she ground down onto him, and looking him dead in the eyes she only said, "I want you to."

The look she gave him combined with those words was enough to convince Bass to say 'fuck it,' and within seconds he was back to not thinking about any of the consequences.

With one last thrust Charlie moaned out his name as they both came, Bass emptying his seed into her as he buried his face in the space between her head and shoulder.

Charlie could feel his breath coming out in puffs against her skin and that was almost enough to make her want to come again, but as much as she wanted to stay in that position she knew they better get up and fix themselves.

She was the first one off, smiling as she bent down and shimmied back into her pants as Bass went about fixing himself to look presentable.

When she looked up at him her face dropped, due to the fact that he didn't look as happy as someone should be when they just had sex, "what's wrong?"

He sighed, "I want you to ask me."

After that amazing sex Charlie could barely form a logical thought, let alone catch up to his train of thought. She furrowed her brow, "ask you what?"

"To your Christmas thing with your friends, I don't want you to go with someone else because I want to go with you."

Honestly there was nothing that would make Charlie happier than to go with him, but she had no idea where any of this was coming from. She shook her head sadly, "Bass you know that isn't a good idea, we're coming to Miles' bar…"

She let the rest of the statement taper off, but Bass just shrugged, "you know me, when have I ever had a good idea?"

His voice conveyed a tone of humor, but Charlie still wasn't convinced this would be the best way to spring it on Miles. "You're the one who wanted to wait, you were the one worried about Miles and what he would do, what he would think, why now all of the sudden do you not care?"

"I just—I don't like the idea of you going with someone else," he said sadly, which was hypocritical of him and he knew it, but she told him once that she wanted him to be honest, and this was him being honest.

"That's not fair and you know it. It's not my fault, just like Duncan wasn't your fault and I didn't blame you."

"Does that mean you weren't jealous?" His skeptical tone portrayed the message that he got a very different vibe from Charlie that night, but nevertheless he saw her shake her head at his question.

"No Bass I wasn't jealous because you aren't mine to own, and I knew that from the start."

"But I am Charlie…I am yours."

Her body responded, stilling before she could even open her mouth. She wasn't sure what to do with that type of confession, not now in the game at least. She wanted to hear those words badly before, but after he went out with Duncan Charlie just assumed that he didn't have feelings for her. Not feelings that were enough to make him want to stay loyal to just her.

He took her silence to mean that she either wasn't ready to hear that, or she didn't return the sentiment, "then I'm letting you go Charlie."

"What—letting me…letting me go? What does that even mean?" With her heart racing faster than a speeding bullet and her palms growing sweaty, Charlie started to panic. This is not how she wanted it to go down, she didn't want to end things, but especially not like this.

"Hey," he said softly, cupped her face in between his hands, "hey, look at me, this isn't because you didn't say anything. I'm not blaming you so quit fidgeting and panicking because I can see the hamster wheel turning in your head. It's just you're right Charlie, you're always right. We can't tell Miles because as afraid as I am that it'll fuck our friendship up, I'm even more worried that it'll affect your relationship with him. And that's not something that I could live with, even if you could. I've lost my family, and I won't be the reason you lose yours either. Miles is too important to you."

"You're important too Bass. You can't just keep putting people ahead of your own happiness and call that love, because from where I'm standing that just equates cowardice."

"I don't want you to miss out on anything though Charlie, I want you to have someone you can go out with and bring home to meet Miles and he can intimidate the shit out of him like he should. I want that for you, and if that's the only thing I get for Christmas this year I will be happy knowing that you're happy," he smiled as he ran his thumb along the underneath of her jaw.

"You're breaking your promise," she spoke so lowly that it was almost inaudibly to Bass' ears, "I told you to make a decision and stick with it."

"I know and I am, I still stand by the decision and until you push me away I won't leave you. But I don't expect you to not see other people…that's all I'm saying, I shouldn't have asked you that before. You were right, it's no different than my date with Duncan," he winced at the phrasing of the last sentence but his eyes remained strong with no hint of regret.

"You aren't breaking your promise?" Her fragile doe eyes met his with such intensity that all he could do was shake his head and pull her into his chest, tucking her head under his chin.

Now he was up shit creek without a paddle riding shotgun in Miles' sad boat, something about those Matheson women made them do stupid things and agree to stupid conditions, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

He knew that he blew up at Rachel for stringing Miles along when she needed to do the adult thing and let him go, and now here he was offering to let Charlie do the exact same thing to him. He knew exactly how Miles felt now that he was in that situation, it wasn't as easy as Bass made it out to be, not when you were in love.


	11. Secret, Not-So-Secret, Santa

"I hope Aaron is my secret Santa, something tells me he gives really good gifts," Miles commented off handedly, drying off the pint glasses as he stacked them on the counter top.

Bass' talk with Rachel about letting Miles go proved to be effective because other than asking him to participate in the gift exchange, she hadn't contacted him. Bass felt bad because Miles mention that she just all of the sudden dropped him without an explanation, but he also said he knew it was coming and it should've come sooner.

His talk with Charlie went just as well, even though he hadn't really talked to her much after that due to both of them being busy. That's how Bass was rationalizing the situation anyway, he didn't want to think he fucked even their friendship up, denial was easier.

"You better hope it isn't Rachel who is your secret Santa, otherwise all you'll be getting is cold stares and lectures about how much of a fuck up you are," Bass laughed when Miles just stuck his middle finger up at him.

Bass got Danny's name and he had no idea what to get the kid. He didn't know much about it, hell he hardly knew anything about Charlie, but he knew even littler about Danny.

He was tempted to tell Miles, since he already spilled the beans and said he drew Priscilla's name, but Bass wanted to find a gift for Danny on his own.

Bass didn't like asking for help, and some part of him wanted to impress Charlie with his gift picking abilities.

"Fine don't tell me who's name you drew, I'll guess eventually," Miles pouted, reading his mind. Bass laughed at his expression, Miles hated surprises; he hated even more to be left out of the loop about things, which was what made this even more fun.

"Ok Sherlock Holmes, good luck on the investigation, I have more important things to do right now. Like going to buy a gift." Bass stood up from the bar stool, stuffing his arms through the holes of his jacket.

"Wait just give me a clue, tell me where you're going to buy a gift," Miles desperately pleaded to Bass as he made his way to the back exit of the bar. Bass just shook his head and laughed, shutting the door behind him.

Where would the fun in that be? Besides he had no idea where he was going to get a gift from to be honest. He had to start wracking his brain about what he knew about the kid. That took all of two minutes, he knew nothing, he was fucked.

He gave up, he was quitting, he had to call in back up. Charlie answered hesitantly on the first ring, "Bass, you never call, what's up?"

"I have no idea what to get for the person whose name I drew. I drew—"

She cut him off, "wait don't tell me it's supposed to be a surprise, you'll ruin it," she was definitely not like Miles in that way. Apparently Charlie liked surprises, "but I'll still help you."

"How are you supposed to help if you don't know who the present is for?"

"Do you want my help or not?" Not waiting on a verbal confirmation, taking his silence as a 'yes,' she went through everyone's names and told Bass a little something about them and what they would like.

He got lost in the sound of her voice, not paying attention until he heard Danny's name, that's when he started listening, trying to gather as much information about him as he could. She gave Bass a few ideas, and he wrote them down sloppily as he sat in the parking lot of Miles' bar.

"And if the present is for me don't get me anything, just show up at my house with a bow on," she started chuckling.

"Charlie…" Bass groaned until she scoffed into the phone, "sheesh Bass lighten up, it was just a joke."

She wasn't all joking and he knew that. When she said things like that to him it was very hard for him not to drive over to her house right then and gift her a package alright. But he was trying to practice some self-control before he winded up getting them both caught. And also because he was the one who went through a big spiel how he wouldn't leave until she pushed him away, but that didn't mean that he needed to necessarily encourage things or make it harder on either of them.

"Does that help?" her voice brought him back to the present moment.

"Yeah, thanks Charlie. I could've told your uncle, but he was in a pissy mood because I thought it was more fun not to tell him," Bass laughed, for grown adults they were often very childish, but it amused Charlie.

"Let me guess, he already told you who he drew?" Bass could practically hear her smiling through the phone, she knew Miles almost as well as Bass did. Secrets and Miles did not go hand in hand because there was usually alcohol involved, which caused Miles to blab things.

Bass nodded, "right after we left Rachel's house, I'm surprised he waited that long, can't keep a secret to save his life."

Except the one about him and his brother's wife having an affair, apparently he was tight lipped about that secret.

If Charlie or Bass one had been thinking it neither of them said it, "Are you coming tomorrow night?"

Charlie laughed, "Am I coming to my parent's house to exchange secret Santa gifts for the person whose name I drew? Why yes Bass, I will be there, try to contain your surprise."

It was a stupid question, but he didn't realize that until after he had already asked. There was something about Charlie that, at times, made him resort to the adolescent version of himself who got nervous and said the dumbest shit before his mind could catch up.

He started to grow cockier when he thought about the sounds he elicited from Charlie, and how she quivered every time he touched her. That was enough to boost any man's ego.

Ending the phone call with Charlie he drove to the closest place he could think of to get Danny's present. She had given him many good ideas, but he wanted something that was original, something he thought of himself, and he could do that now with the amount of information she gave him.

It took him quite awhile to accomplish his task and was on his way home to wrap the gift when Miles called him, still pouting about the whole thing but said he would forgive Bass if he wrapped his present.

Bass hated wrapping gifts; he had only enjoyed it when his mother was alive because it was fun to watch her laugh when Bass lost his patience early on. And the other day was the first time in a long time he spent so long wrapping gifts to perfection, but he was doing that for Charlie so there was motivation.

He still agreed to help Miles, not surprised when he found him sitting comfortably in the living room when he got home, "guess I'm glad I agreed otherwise this would've been awkward," Bass sniggered, hiding Danny's gift when Miles tried to peek from his seat.

Miles just scoffed, "please when have you ever said no to anything that I've asked? Besides I would've just annoyed the shit out of you until you got mad and wrapped the gift just so I would leave faster."

Master of schemes and planning, Miles was always forming a plan B in his head just in case things didn't go his way. He was always prepared for whatever life threw at him, and of course he was right. Bass would've gotten annoyed and just wrapped the damn thing himself.

He was however adamant about not letting Miles see Danny's gift, so he took it into the kitchen with him where he knew Miles would be too lazy to come and see, and dropped it into another box.

Satisfied that it was well contained he brought it back into the living room, laughing when he saw Miles' disappointed look, "you only do this to piss me off don't you?"

"Everything isn't about you Miles," he chided and rolled his eyes, holding his hand out for Priscilla's gift so he could wrap it. He wasn't a bad gift wrapper, but he also wasn't very quick and he needed to wrap Danny's as well as take a shower and get ready.

He was actually impressed at what Miles had picked out. Priscilla was very much into reading and crafting things. She spent a lot of time outside during the summer and spring tending to the small garden she started a few years back, paying special attention to the flowers.

Miles had picked for her three different types of books: one for gardening, one that was for crafting projects for mothers and children, and another one that was a cook book because Priscilla loved to experiment with new recipes and Aaron loved to eat.

It wasn't that he didn't think Miles could've picked something so thoughtful, but it was that he didn't think Miles could pick something so thoughtful, "so who picked this?"

Miles feigned outrage at what he was suggesting, but then smirked knowing Bass would see right through it, "Aaron told me what to get, actually he bought the books and I paid for them. Easiest secret Santa gift I've ever picked."

"That's because you didn't pick it asshole," Bass scoffed, slicing threw the paper as he stacked the books on top of one another on top.

Miles laughed, "Do you think anyone would trust me to pick out a gift on my own? I can't even pick out a gift for myself."

Folding the ends of the paper in, Bass taped one side, and then spun the books around to repeat the process on the other side until everything was perfectly wrapped. He handed the gift over to Miles, "I trust you can put the name tag on it yourself?"

Miles scrunched up his face and mocked, "I think I can handle that jerk."

"Whatever bitch, don't screw up my wrapping because I'm not doing it again," Bass warned as he went about sizing up the amount of paper he would need to wrap Danny's gift.

"Charlie help you pick your gift?" Miles asked him casually, but at the mention of her name Bass almost froze.

"What makes you think anyone had to help me, I'm not inept like you apparently," Bass shot at him cockily.

"Because you think I'm more stupid than I actually am." That was all that Miles said for a moment and Bass was thankful that his back was turned to Miles, otherwise his face of surprise would've been conformation enough at the accusation he was making.

Miles just laughed when he assumed Bass knew he was caught, "I saw you talking to someone in your car at the bar when I took the trash out. Figured it had to be Charlie because it's not like you're close to anyone else, and I doubt Rachel would've given you the time of day."

Inwardly relaxing when he realized that Miles wasn't insinuating about anything else, Bass finished wrapping his gift and turned back around towards Miles who was smiling.

Bass just shook his head and rolled his eyes, he still had one up on Miles, he knew he wouldn't guess who the present was for, and everyone had the same wrapping paper so it was even harder.

Miles was wrong about one thing though, Rachel would've answered his call, they were making progress after their heart to heart. "Ok I called Charlie and she gave me ideas for everyone, but I didn't use any of them. I just used the information she gave me and picked my own gift. So it still counts."

Miles just held out his hands in surrender, his lips twitching up in a half smirk, "whatever you say man. Thanks for wrapping the gift, I'll see you at Rachel's in a few hours, gotta go home."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Miles left the house, letting the door slam like he always did, just to piss Bass off who hated that sound.

Upon him leaving Bass stripped off his tattered, worn clothes, tossing them in a pile near the laundry basket, as he entered the bathroom. He didn't have time to let the hot water cascade off his body, working wonders for the knots on his back, but at least he would be clean.

Toweling off, letting it hang low on his hips, he fumbled through some of his drawers until he found a shirt and brought it over his head. Searching for pants that had no holes in them proved to be pointless so he gave up and just looked for whatever was clean instead.

30 minutes later he was dressed with just enough time to munch on something, even though he was confident there would be food at the get together. Anytime Priscilla was present at anything there was food, Rachel not so much, she wasn't much of a cooker.

While in the kitchen he took a moment to glance at his backyard and the present he had set up for Charlie. He thought of this a few days ago, after that night at her apartment, but he didn't start working on it until yesterday. He forgot all about it when Miles was there, lucky that he didn't stumble upon it.

Bass wasn't really quite sure how he would've explained or played it off. It had been a pain in his ass to complete, but it would be well worth it, and even though he was trying to put some distance between them, he couldn't wait to show her this.

Speaking of, he glanced at the clock on the microwave, alerting him that he should take off now so that way he had enough to get to Rachel's and eat some more.

He was glad he made the decision when he did because when he got to Rachel's house and smelled the food, he realized how hungry he actually was. "Priscilla I'm moving in with you so you can cook for me," he said to her when he saw she was standing over the stove in the kitchen.

"No way I'd ever let you move in with us, you're too much trouble," Aaron snickered from beside of Priscilla, which earned him a slap with the ladle and stern eyes from Priscilla.

She turned to Bass and smiled, "what he means to say is that you're always welcome if you need a home cooked meal, you don't even need to show up with Miles, you're family enough."

"In fact, don't show up with Miles, that would be worse," Aaron grumbled under his breath, but Priscilla had mom hearing and whacked him again with the ladle harder this time.

So hard that he grabbed at his arm and backed away, "ok fine sorry I won't say anything else, geez, you know that ladle hurts even though it's just plastic."

Priscilla just smiled sweetly at him and Bass laughed at the two of them. Once the laughter had subsided something else replaced it, he was looking at them longingly. He admired their relationship; it reminded him a lot of his parents who were so in love. Bass couldn't remember a time when they were mad at each other longer than a few hours.

He wanted something like that, he wanted to settle down, but every time he thought about it and imagined it, he only saw one person.

Aaron just looked at him curiously, and then moved to go back into the living room, leaving only him and Priscilla in the kitchen. She looked at him and smiled a loving smile at him, one he has seen her give to everyone many times, "you'll have this someday you know that right?"

It must've been a mother thing or woman's intuition that told her exactly what Bass was thinking, he didn't say anything because words weren't needed in that moment, he simply returned the same warm smile towards her and exited the kitchen.

He had said it before and he would say it again, Priscilla was too good for Aaron, but he couldn't think of any who deserved each other more.

Coming back into the living room he found that Charlie had arrived while he was in the kitchen and made herself comfortable, feet lounging in Miles lap as they laughed about something. Danny sat on the other side of Miles, rolling his eyes at their childish antics, but if you looked close enough you could see the trace of a smile that ghosted his face.

Rachel offered him a small smile when she noticed that he was standing there. She sat on the love seat closest to the kitchen door with Ben holding her hand beside her.

He knew that Rachel loved Miles and would probably always love him, but at times he could also see the look of love in her eyes when she was with Ben.

Charlie and Miles both looked up at Bass when they noticed the direction of Rachel's eyes.

Miles laughed, "thought you got lost in there buddy or ate so much you couldn't fit through the door," he motioned with his head for Bass to sit down.

Accepting his offer he sat down beside of Charlie, careful not to sit too close to her, but didn't sit on the very far end of the couch either, "shut up dick," was all Bass said.

Priscilla came through shortly and announced that if anyone wanted any food it was all done, and for them to help themselves, which translated to get it yourself because I am not serving your ass. But Priscilla was too nice to say that.

One by one, everyone got up and pilled in the kitchen, Bass lingered back for a moment, lightly brushing Charlie's hand so that she would know to hold tight too, which she did. She was getting good at understanding his nonverbal way of communicating.

When mostly everyone was out of earshot he turned to her briefly, "after this is all over come to my house, I have a gift for you."

Longingly she looked up at him and waggled her eyebrows, but when he laughed and shook his head she stuck out her bottom lip, "it's something I couldn't bring in person, nor could I bring it to your apartment."

A sparkle grew in Charlie's eyes, "well now that I am thoroughly interested, ok I'll see you at your house."

Side stepping around him, she went into the kitchen first, then Bass followed, filling his plate a mile high with everything he could stuff on it without it falling off. It was like food jenga, and he ate it as quickly as he pilled it on.

Everyone else preferred to chew their food unlike Bass who just engulfed it whole, so after the last person finished eating the gift exchanging had began.

For the most part they all seemed to be completely surprised at whoever their secret Santa was because they all got gifts that they either wanted or mentioned before. Priscilla especially who couldn't wait to get home and make some of the things out of her cookbook for Christmas morning with her family. Miles stuck his tongue out at Bass when she complimented whoever picked out the gifts, but he frowned when Aaron in turn stuck his tongue out at Miles.

They were all just grown children who you couldn't take anywhere or trust by themselves.

Picking up the delicately wrapped gift, Bass held his breath when Charlie handed the gift over to its owner: Danny. Sparing no time he ripped through that paper, which ripped through Bass' heart, he spent a lot of time and effort into that paper and it was just shredded to pieces. What a pity.

The sadness he felt for the paper was replaced by the gleam in Danny's eyes when he unwrapped his gift. Inside was a genuine, leather bound notebook that appeared to be handmade, and in fact it was, handmade by Bass anyway. He knew Danny was good at spinning tales, so he figured that something to write in would always be a good gift.

"This is incredible, the craftsmanship is just—it's amazing," was all that Danny managed to sputter out. Obviously it had been a good choice on his part and he was overwhelmed by the happiness he felt just from seeing Danny's face light up. For that reason alone it had been worth it.

Earlier when he went to get Danny's gift, he actually went to his friend's leather goods shop and asked him to use the space for a bit to make the gift, which he was more than happy to allow Bass.

From the corner of his eye he felt a presence looking at him only to find out that it was Charlie.

She could tell by the wrapping that it was Bass who bought the gift, barely using any of the ideas she gave him, but instead picking a gift that was infinitely better than anything she could've ever suggested.

They packed up their gifts in the car once all of the trash was collected and disposed of so that they didn't leave Rachel's house in complete shambles.

Charlie's new bow, a hobby she mentioned awhile back that she wanted to take up, was now secured safely in the back seat of her car as she drove to Bass' house. She took extra time to make sure it wouldn't get jerked around in the backseat as she all but sped like a bat out of hell to his house.

She liked surprises when they involved everyone, but when it was just for her and she couldn't fathom what it was they irritated her. She was anxious and would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit nervous.

Getting out of her car she could feel her heart thumping out of her chest as she made her way up to Bass' door, not pausing to knock as she opened the door to collide with the solid chest of none other than Bass.

A chuckle rumbled deep in his chest as he smiled, "antsy are you? Turn around, I want it to be a real surprise."

Tentatively she turned around and waited for whatever he was going to give to her, but all she saw was complete darkness as he secured a blindfold over her eyes. "Don't you think this is a bit much," her pouted lip saying that she was annoyed, but her pitch said she was excited.

"Do you want your gift or not," came the question at her ear, to which all she could do was nod as she felt Bass' hand on the small of her back, turning her around and shutting the front door.

Leaving his hand on her back he guided her through the kitchen, surprised at her ability to sit back and actually let him lead her for once, and out the back door. She could feel the cool breeze of the gentle wind blowing, and the light snowflakes falling on her face as they continued.

She didn't think that Bass was ever going to take the blindfold off and reveal his secret to her, but she was grateful when he finally did, "ok ta-da!"

Breathing became something Charlie forgot how to do, in fact she forgot how to do everything except blink, but that was because she didn't think it was real.

Before her was the most amazingly built, homemade ice rink she had ever witnessed, complete with lampposts around the corners, and strings of lights around illuminating the rink.

After what felt like eternity to Bass she turned around so fast he was sure she was going to get whiplash, "you did all of this…for me? How did you know?"

Ice-skating was something that Charlie had loved ever since she was a little girl. Miles was the first person to take her skating, and that's the place he took her before he shipped out, so it was very special to her.

"I went with you guys one time when you were really young. You clung to me the whole time because you were convinced that I wouldn't let you fall and make a fool of yourself. You said Miles would laugh too much to be helpful," he started laughing at the memory.

Charlie didn't recollect that, but it sounded like something she would say, and even if she didn't remember she could tell Bass did. She could also tell that it was a fond memory from him just by watching his facial expressions and the permanent smile embedded on his face.

"Well are you just going to stand there all night and admire my work, or are you actually going to skate because if not I did a helluva lot of work for it to just be looked at."

He winked at her as he brushed past her and went further down to the rink, pulling up a pair of skates and dangling them in front of his face. Charlie didn't have to be told twice, she ran down there and grabbed them from his hands, quickly lacing them up.

She had already glided onto the rink, while Bass watched her from the sideline when she spun around in the middle of the rink. She looked at him for a moment before she glided over to where he was. Not giving him enough time to process before her body collided roughly against his, and she was grabbing his collar to pull him down to her level before placing her lips against his.

She placed gentle kisses upon his lips, until he wrapped his arm underneath her ass and held her close. She broke away after a few moments, looking down at him, "I could never give you anything like this. Thank you so much Bass."

He shook his head, "you've already given me more than enough Charlie, this is the least that I could do for you."

Using his other free hand that wasn't holding her up he brushed the hair from her face, carefully placing her back on the ice.

"Aren't you gonna skate with me too? I saw another pair of skates," when he looked hesitant about it she whined, "Come on Bass, please?"

That's all she had to say to make his heart melt and make him give in. Of course she was right, he brought skates for himself too. He laced them up and joined her on the ice. He loved skating, but he mostly just wanted to watch her.

Charlie however had different plans; she grasped his hand in hers and pulled him along, until they were in the middle of the rink. Raising his hand he spun her around slowly, and when she came back around she met his body with force again, only this time Bass was prepared.

Pressing her hands against his chest, her breathing became ragged, and all she could do was stare at his chest in the direct line of her eyesight. He ran his hands along her arms, up and down, leaving a trail of warmth wherever he touched.

"I'm afraid," she whispered softly, "I'm afraid that I want more than I should ask from you. I'm afraid that asking you to continue this with me is selfish because it's like asking you to pick between me and the family you have now. I'm afraid that things will blow up in our faces…I'm afraid that it won't. Mostly though, I'm afraid that I won't ever want anyone else but you."

Saying he was shell-shocked was putting it mildly. He didn't say anything, which was plenty fine because Charlie wasn't done, "you said the other day that you were mine, I didn't answer because I don't feel the same. I didn't answer because I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that you thought I was worth risking everything for…I am you know?" When he looked at her confused she smiled, "I am yours Bass."

Bass had been in love before, only once, but it was enough that he remembered it, but no one had ever made him feel quite like Charlotte Matheson made him feel in that moment. Like he was so happy he could spontaneously combust, or set the whole rink on fire from the amount of love coursing through his veins.

He responded in the only way he knew how, he pulled her in and closed the gap between them, cupping her face as he brushed his lips against hers in a tender kiss.

Neither of them spoke for minutes, they stayed locked in one another's embrace until they heard something from the back door.

All of the color drained from Bass' face when he looked up to see a very pissed off Miles, not regularly pissed off, but an eerily calm pissed off Miles, which Bass knew was the worst kind.

He let go of Charlie's face, but the stubborn girl that she was refused to be separated from him.

"So is someone going to explain what's going on here, or shall I just start making wild assumptions that will lead to very bad misinterpreted scenarios?"


	12. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

There was always that scene during a dramatic movie where time just seemed to stand still, nobody moving, nobody talking, nobody even visibly breathing. Music faded out as the camera panned around between the characters, trying to invoke a certain response from the audience. Bass always thought that was bullshit, he had been to war and never experienced something that like, but then again facing down a stranger, an enemy, was a lot easier than staring down your friend.

He stood before them, awaiting some sort of logical explanation other than the one that was obviously dancing across his mind, which could be seen by the look in his eyes as they darted between Charlie and then back to Bass. His hands that were typically still, lay by his side, but were shaking with ferocity they would've registered at least a 5 on the Richter scale.

But despite the nervousness that was emitting from his body language, his face remained placid and calm, the only sign of his confusion evident in his eyes.

Neither of them said anything for a whole minute, 60 seconds, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it was a long time for someone to be silent after they had just been asked a very serious question. It was a long time to stare at one another.

When someone didn't immediately answer, the only explanation was that there either wasn't a good reason, or they were trying to think up a lie. Miles knew it wasn't the second one because Charlie was good at coming up with lies on the spot, she wouldn't need this much time, and Miles would be able to see right through Bass' lie.

No, a lie was out of the question at this point and they both realized it. Charlie answered, breaking the icy silence that would give the outside temperature a run for its money, "I'd be more interested in what you were concocting in your head," she said nervously chuckling at the end of it.

Bass looked down at her, mass confusion written across his face that was not the response he would've given, but then again she didn't have to worry about Miles going off and punching her like Bass did.

She interrupted him before he even got a chance to say anything as he made his way down closer to where they were, "ok don't give yourself a heart attack Miles, don't freak out."

By now she and Bass both had discarded the skates, tossing them aside like some fond memory they only brought out to play with in the heat of the moment, and opted for their regular footwear.

Charlie, letting go of Bass' hand stepped forward tentatively, holding out her hands symbolic of waving a white flag, but the ever cautious Bass grabbed ahold of her jacket and pulled her back slightly.

He knew there was no way in hell Miles would ever think of hurting Charlie, but just in case he started throwing punches he wanted her to be out of the way.

That subtle touch was not lost on Miles who advanced forward more quickly, "get your hands off of her Bass, I'm not kidding."

"Don't talk to him like that," Charlie snapped at Miles, "he's your best friend."

His eyes never once left Bass'; "If that were true then he wouldn't have been able to lay his hands on my niece. I didn't think I had to mention that, I thought you would have more sense than that, but I should've known. I've never voiced my opinion about your manwhorish tendencies, but for fucks sake Bass…my goddamn niece?"

Bass didn't defend himself when Miles brought up his less than questionable reputation with women, mostly because it was true, and partially because it wouldn't have made a difference anyway.

"I'm your niece, but that doesn't mean I'm not my own person too. My value and worth aren't defined in terms of who I'm related to," she crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.

It didn't matter how much she spoke because Miles never stopped directing his evil glares at Bass' face. Hell Miles barely even acknowledged Charlie's presence, "this is low Bass, even for you, and then sneaking around like you're a fucking teenager. You should've been the adult and put a stop to this infatuation instead of encouraging it. How exactly did you think this would go?"

"It wasn't his fault, I'm the one who started it and made him go through with it," she said, louder this time hoping to get through to the brick wall, also known as Miles.

That statement definitely reached him, loud and clear, he whipped his head towards her but said nothing. It took him a few minutes to grasp the fact that it was Charlie who started it, still that was irrelevant to Miles, "I don't care if you threw yourself at him and all but begged, Bass should've known better. He should've known it was just a stupid little crush," Miles' words cutting through her like ice as he bit the inside of his cheek to shut himself up.

He knew he probably went too far toying with the idea that Charlie would ever do something like that, that she would throw herself at Bass. The pain was written as plain as day on Charlie's face and Miles instantly wanted to take it back, but the asshole in him wouldn't let him.

It was Bass whose rage grew, finally breaking all control, "what is your problem Miles, do you really think Charlie is the type of person who would do that. If you're mad, pissed, whatever, that's fine, but that doesn't give you leeway to say stupid shit you know isn't true."

"I'm not mad," he took a deep breath and continued eyes softening as he looked at Charlie. Those same eyes that held affection and regret for the callous way in which he spoke to her instantly hardened when he looked at Bass "because this thing," he motioned between the two of them, "can be stopped as easily as it was started."

All of Charlie's fears came rushing back to her and hit her with an unbearable force, Miles was making him choose between being his brother, or being with Charlie.

That was not fair and Charlie saw red before she lost it, "who are you to think you can issue an ultimatum that has nothing to do with you?"

"I'm not asking you Charlie," his eyes caught hers for a moment before panning over to Bass, "I'm telling Bass to make the smart decision and stop this now before you end up kicked to the curb and brokenhearted over him."

"Come on Miles, you have to know that I would never do anything to hurt her—"

"Not intentionally but I know you Bass, you break hearts, that's what you do."

Bass shook his head, "maybe usually, but I don't think it was ever a question of her getting her heart broken by me, if anything it would be the other way around."

Miles sighed, "look I don't care about the semantics, we're done. Just cut the shit and end this, I'm asking you Bass. Think about this choice, I know you've had your fun flirting around and—"

Light bulb going off in Miles' head made him halt right there. He realized for the first time that he didn't really have any idea how deep their relationship went. Relationships were like rivers; from the bank you could see above and come to the conclusion that it didn't really look all that deep. But once you left the comfort of the shore, you realized that you had been fooled by your own depth perception.

All he knew was that he stumbled across a very intimate moment where their lips were inches apart. "And what else exactly has gone on between you two?"

When neither of them said anything Miles knew the answer to that question, at first realization swept over his face, followed by him taking a step back, then rage took over. He advanced towards Bass, "oh you son of a bitch," was all he got out before Charlie plastered herself against Bass' body.

He tugged at her arm, trying to push her away but she wouldn't back down from this, "now who's being childish, really Miles, a fistfight because we've been sleeping together?"

"Sleeping—You mean…that's…..it's been more th-than one time?" He barely forced the words out of his mouth before anger took over.

Bass could see it in Miles' eyes and he didn't care at that moment how stubborn Charlie was, Bass was stronger. He pulled at her arm, pushing her aside, but he wasn't quick enough to stop Charlie's own left fist from swinging out and catching Miles in the face.

He stumbled back a few paces, not realizing it was Charlie who hit him. Momentarily stunned, Bass snapped back into action, shoving Charlie away, and as soon as he did Miles' fist connected with the side of his face.

Naturally Bass wasn't going to fight back, he knew that eventually it would result in this, and Miles deserved to let some of his anger out. Bass wasn't going to fight back, not until Miles started playing dirty, "I can't believe that you would use her like that Bass, I trusted you with the most precious thing in my life and this is what you do? Screw her behind my back?"

Going from dodging Miles' blows and simply blocking them, he went on the offense and shoved at Miles, "don't fucking pretend to know how I feel, and don't fucking say things like screw behind your back and turn Charlie into some cheap whore I just picked up. This was a fucking hard decision, you're my best friend, my brother, but I love her."

If a pin were dropped on the snow in that moment it would've sounded like an explosion. That's how deafening the silence was. Miles gave up all pretenses of trying to conduct a real fight because he was too emotionally charged.

Instead he straightened up, dropping his guard, which made Bass relax once he realized the threat of a fight was gone. Miles' face paled as white as the snowflakes falling heavier now than when they first came outside, "you what?"

It was the calm way that Miles said it that made Bass gulp. He didn't mean to say it, not at this point in time, and especially not to Miles before he even said it to Charlie.

Charlie, who was standing there just as shocked as Miles was, stood with her mouth agape. It was the first real time she had ever heard someone say they loved her and meant it as something more than just in familiar relations. It was also the first time she felt what it was like to be in love herself, because she was, she loved him too.

Only she didn't get the chance to say it because Miles interrupted, "ah hell, Bass you really fucked things up you know?"

Charlie had enough and strode over to them after Miles was done throwing his temper tantrum, "I stood by you Miles after everything you did, after the affair you had with my mom, after you lied and snuck around, hiding it behind our backs—"

"Oh don't give me that bullshit Charlie, these two situations are not the same in the slightest. We we're two grown adults in love, it's not like it was just some sort of fling that—"

"You don't get to tell me what this is and if it's similar to your fucked up relationship. I wasn't asking for your opinion or your anything. I am an adult, Bass is an adult, so by your standards everything should be hunky dory."

"Charlie this is far from okay," Miles said deadpanned, not understanding her logic.

"Well that may be, but it is what it is." She sighed, "Miles I would forgive you no matter what the fault was. I would stand by you and I would never make you choose between anything because you're one of the most important people in my life. I would do anything for you…" her voice cracked at the end. Taking a breath she started again, softer, "so if you can look me in the eye, and tell me right now that you can't honestly handle us being together, then okay."

Cautiously Miles looked at her for any sign of a bluff. Was she really saying that if he told her that he just couldn't live with this then she would put an end to it?

"I honestly don't think I can Charlie," he said, staring straight into her eyes. He knew that it was selfish, hell he didn't even know why he was saying those words, but he was trying to speak from his heart and that's the only thing that came out when he opened his mouth.

Drawing her lips together in a tight line, she nodded her head, fighting the urge to let one single tear fall. "Ok, then I guess I can't be in your life," she said hoarsely. She only said 'I' because she didn't want to speak for Bass, she didn't want her decision to affect their friendship, but if he couldn't accept them as a pair, then Charlie would make it easier on him and take herself out of the equation.

Astonished at her proclamation, Miles could do nothing but stand there. He wanted to tell his feet to move, to go after her, to say something, anything, but he was stubborn and convinced that it would end badly if they continued down that path, especially when love was now involved.

It was sad, but Miles mostly felt this way because of the affair that Charlie brought up mid rant. He had his heart broken and crushed, and though it was his own fault, he couldn't bear to see either of them end up in that situation.

He didn't even stop to think that he was forcing heartache and suffering on them, in efforts to avoid heartache and suffering.

He shook his head, clearing out the thoughts that were taking up what little room he had in his mind when he realized Charlie had started walking to her car, already out of sight, and Bass was on her heels.

Bass caught up to her quickly, and gently tugged on her elbow to bring her around to face him. He was expecting to see a pissed off Charlie, an upset Charlie, some sort of emotion, but he was met with just a blank stare.

"Charlie…don't made rash decisions, you don't mean that," Bass' soft voice broke her out of her reverie. He ran his hands through her hair in a calming motion, pressing his forehead against hers. His face mirrored they way she felt inside, broken and fragile. "I would never ask you to choose me over Miles."

For a moment she didn't say anything, but the left side of her mouth twitched up into a sad smile as she pulled back to look him in the eyes, "I know you wouldn't, truthfully I didn't think Miles ever would either—"

"He's just upset right now, he doesn't handle confrontations well, as you could hear his emotions get one up on him and get the better of him." It was a rushed explanation that probably didn't even make sense, but as soon as he saw the look on her face when talking about Miles, he had to say something. He would defend Miles before he even asked if he was in the wrong or not, there wasn't anything that Bass wouldn't do for Miles, but right there in that moment, he was doing it for her.

"I know, I just wanted it to be easier on him, and on you, so you didn't feel obligated to make any sort of decision because, like I said, it was me who instigated it." She held her hand up before he could rebuke her claim, "ok fine we're both at fault here…and I don't hate Miles or blame him for anything, I don't think I ever could you know?"

Bass nodded his head absentmindedly; he knew that feeling all too well when it came to Miles. There had been times before, only a select handful, where he wanted badly to hate Miles, but he never did…he never could.

"When Miles gets his head out of his ass, then maybe we can talk like adults, but until then I stand by this decision. He can't just come around and issue out ultimatums and expect me to just accept that. He can't sit up on his high horse and judge our relationship when he has done no better. But I understand Bass if you need time to decide. He's my uncle and I love him more than anything, but he's your brother, and I couldn't tell you what I would do if it were Danny."

Just when he thought she couldn't surprise him anymore, Charlie proved to be the most amazing human being on the planet. So good that he wasn't even sure that she was real, but one thing was for sure, Miles or Bass one sure as hell didn't deserve her.

Touching her lips lightly to his cheek in a tender kiss, she went to go around him to the driver's side.

Before even thinking about it, Bass pulled her back by the bottom hem of her coat, crushing his lips against hers. His hands trailed down to relax at the small of her back, as hers wound themselves in his unruly curls, tugging at his hair until she had to come up for air and break the kiss.

Smiling a little brighter than before, she placed one last kiss upon his lips, as she climbed into her car and was out of sight in minutes, leaving Bass to linger there, just looking at the void space. She had let him make his own decision, and fully understood that it was a lot harder on Bass than it was on her.

Pain was replaced by fury remembering Miles, probably still standing frozen in place in the backyard. He marched back to where Miles was intending to tell him off, but was surprised to find him sitting down, legs bent with his elbows on either knee, hands covering his face.

Bass sighed and sat down on the porch step next to Miles who only humorlessly chuckled, "I really screwed things up didn't I?"

"Oh yeah," there was no use in sugar coating it, that didn't make the medicine taste better or go down any easier.

"God and all that shit I was saying, I don't even know where any of it came from. I felt like…I felt like I was her father in that situation, though I think Ben would've handled it better than I did."

"Hell I would go so far as to say Rachel would've handled it better," Bass silently laughed, but the funny part was that it was most likely true.

Miles just sighed, uncovering his face, looking at Bass, "why her…why Charlie?"

This was a question he kept asking himself repeatedly after the first few times. Why did he have to encourage Charlie? What was it about Charlie? Just why in general.

But somewhere along the way it stopped being a question. He no longer had any thought of a question in his mind about her, it…just was. "If I said I would take it all back if I could…I'd be lying, I sure as hell wouldn't, but would it make you feel better?"

Without a moment's hesitation Miles was shaking his head, "no it would probably make me feel worse than I do right now because I would've known that I was the cause of her unhappiness, hell your unhappiness too. Both of your unhappy—no, no…that sounds weird, I can't group you together as…well, you know….together."

Bass laughed because Miles was making a disgusted face, but his voice was emptied of all the disgust and anger that was previously there, "don't think so hard, you'll hurt yourself."

Miles just looked at Bass as though he was crazy for laughing, why aren't you more pissed? You're not usually this calm."

"Yeah well I figured only one of us could be out of control at a time, plus there was Charlie too, and she is about as hot headed as I am," Bass chuckled when he mentioned her name and Miles just scrunched his face up again.

He touched his eye where he could feel the shiner she gave him starting to swell up, "did she really sock me in the face?"

Laughter took over and Bass couldn't control it when Miles joined in, "yeah man, she really hit you, and from the looks of it she has a damn good left hook."

"I never thought for a moment she was weak, but shit, I didn't know she could pack a punch like that. Must've been all my genes wearing off on her," Miles beamed proudly at his statement.

Bass just rolled his eyes at his boasting. Miles always liked to take credit for things every chance he got, "or maybe she's just learning a thing or two from me," he smirked.

"I just got over being pissed at your idiotic self, so do us both a favor and don't make any more of those kinds of statements," this time Miles really did look disgusted, but again, all Bass could do was laugh at the situation.

Coming down from his high of laughter, Bass turned his head to meet Miles' solemn face, eyes twinkling as they reflected the lights surrounding the ice skating rink. He sat for a few seconds, just gazing at it before he spoke again, "how long do you think she's going to stay upset?"

"Depends, is your head out of your ass?" When Miles nodded his head Bass chuckled, "then I'd say soon. She's coming to the bar tomorrow to have dinner and exchange gifts with friends right?"

He thought about it for a moment, but of course right now Bass knew her better than he did. He simply nodded, "she was supposed to, but after this I don't know."

For a tough person who never gave a damn about what anyone else thought, he was sure vulnerable when it came to Charlie. He might not have said it as a question, but Bass could hear the longing in his voice, and the silent plead as he looked into his eyes, "she'll still show, she's Charlie, any chance she gets to rub it in your face about being wrong she takes."

"You gonna be there with her?"

"Again it depends, are you gonna wake up with amnesia and go bat shit crazy on me again tomorrow? Because if so I might just have to get Charlie to hit you again," and there it was, he was never going to let Miles live this down.

He grumbled, "Shut up you dick." For the second time that night he looked out at the rink again, "did you really do all of this by yourself?"

Bass smiled, thinking back to moments before when he was watching Charlie on that very ice, skating, gliding, as though she was an angel…and she was. "Yeah, yeah I did."

Suddenly leaping up Miles exclaimed, "ah hell I gotta go, I can't take anymore of this lovey dovey thing you're doing with your face." He laughed as Bass stood beside of him and gave him a shove off the porch, shaking his head, "I kind of feel like the Grinch who stole Christmas, except that I kinda ruined it."

At the mention of the Grinch Bass choked on his laughter, causing Miles to look at him weirdly until he understood, "shit are you kidding me right now? Did that mean something sexual all those times you two were blabbing about it?"

Bass just smirked instead of answering, he figured that would piss Miles off more and would incriminate himself less. Miles groaned, looking up to the sky in exasperation, then looking back down, "by the way, are those my skates?" He indicated the ones Bass had been wearing before.

Nodding he answered, "yeah I asked you earlier if I could borrow them and you said knock myself out."

"Well I wouldn't have said yes if you asked, 'hey Miles can I borrow your skates to seduce your niece?'"

He was always trying to impersonate Bass, lowering his voice in order to try and create that deep, low sound, but he never got better at it. No matter how much he tried, and how long they were friends, he still sucked at it, but his attempts made Bass snicker.

When he was almost out of sight he came back around the corner, "hey, for what it's worth, you know I didn't mean all of that shit before. I mean I still think you're a manwhore, and Charlie could definitely do better, but everything else…"

He trailed off and Bass knew what he was referring to, "I know." Was all that Bass said in response. He could see Miles rolling his eyes from his peripheral vision, gripping about him being a conceited asshole, and Bass smiled. It had definitely not gone like he had expected, but nothing ever really goes as planned. You can try to be prepared as well as you can, but in the end, you just have to leap and hope like hell the net appears.


	13. Friendsmas and Bar Bromances

Groggily leaning over the bed, Bass felt around the nightstand to shut up that persistent ringing sound he kept hearing. Knocking over an empty cup of water, a coaster, and the damn lamp itself in the process, his palm finally landed on the cause of so much trouble at what he presumed to be so early in the morning.

He didn't even look at the caller id, instead he answered, putting the phone up to his ear and snapping at the person on the other end of the line, "what?"

Charlie chuckled, amused by his irritated tone, "well good morning to you too Grinch, see if I ever call you first again."

Perking up at the sound of her voice, he rubbed a hand down his face in a vain attempt to wake himself up more as he sat against the headboard, "sorry I thought it was either Miles or some other equally annoying person. What's up little Cindy-Lou-Who?"

"First of all don't call me little, but thanks for not grouping me in the same category as Miles," she chuckled, "he said he didn't leave your house until late. I just didn't realize you'd still be sleeping at two in the afternoon."

He suppressed a yawn as he looked over at the clock, damn it really was two, he practically slept half the day away. That was unlike him, most of the time he was the first one to rise, and the rise one to sleep. "You've been talking to Miles?"

She could tell he was genuinely interested through his tone, she knew he was dying to know if she patched things over with Miles yet, "no he just texted me to let me know you guys fixed things last night…between the two of you."

"And that's all?" Bass probed her a little further because he knew without pushing he wasn't going to get anything out of Charlie.

"Well he said some other things, but that's the gist of it…anyway I didn't call to talk about Miles, I wanted to ask you something. Do you still want me to ask you?"

When she went off the subject of Miles, he made a mental note that she obviously didn't want to talk about it anymore, nor would it do any good knowing Charlie.

She didn't have to elaborate on the question; he knew what she was asking. He held his breath for a moment, all thoughts of sleep thrown out the window, "you don't have to ask me Charlie, I'd do anything for you."

She wasn't really sure what came over him in that moment, hell he probably didn't know himself, but she just laughed and chalked it up to lack of sleep that was making him so sentimental. "Ok then I'll see you there around seven, you don't have to dress up or anything, there's no Christmas sweater requirement."

He grimaced at the end part, there was no way in hell he would ever be putting on one of those horrid things willingly at least. "I'll save that just for you," seduction laced his voice and even though it was a horrible image to picture, it turned Charlie on.

"Hey listen, I know you don't want to hear this right now, and I promised I wouldn't do it…but I'm doing it. You need to talk to Miles. If for anyone, for yourself, I know you don't want to be mad at him anymore than I do."

Well his mental note to himself must've got lost somewhere along the way; either that or he didn't have room in his brain to store it. He had to say it, to get it out; even though he knew that ultimately Charlie would make whatever decision she wanted to.

She sighed, "I know Bass," she smiled into the phone and he could sense her shift in mood, "I'll see you tonight."

Before giving him a chance to say goodbye she hung up the phone. Making her mad or upset was the last thing that he ever wanted to do, so he hoped that wasn't the case, but he had to advocate for Miles…no matter the stupid things he said or did.

Sliding back down into the bed, he calculated that he still had roughly two more hours he could sleep before he needed to get up, eat, take a shower, and get ready by seven.

But two hours wasn't nearly enough time when all of the sudden he closed his eyes and it was five o'clock instead of the four o'clock he mentally prepared himself to wake up at.

He groaned before heaving himself out of the comfort of the warm covers, cursing himself when he realized how cold it was in the house. Looking around, his eyes landed on a pair of socks, which he quickly snatched up and pulled on his bare feet, before making his way into the kitchen in search of food.

As he sat on the counter, warm soup in hand, his mind wandered back to Charlie and if she took his advice and had talked to Miles yet or if they were just going to show up at his bar awkwardly and sit the whole night.

Bass opted for the first one, at least he was hoping for that one anyway.

But of course he was right, he knew Charlie. He told Miles that she would come to him, but Miles was still surprised that she was already there. Obviously she got the not being able to hold a grudge thing from Ben, because Rachel was damn good at holding things over people's heads.

Approaching the bar cautiously, she sat down on one of the bar stools, and before she could even place her drink order, Miles sat a glass down in front of her and filled it a quarter of the way with top shelf whiskey.

She smiled lightly, "you know I doubt mom would be too thrilled with the fact that you're turning me into a younger, more attractive, alcoholic version of yourself."

Miles scoffed, "please more attractive? I beg to differ."

And just like that things were relatively back to normal. He always admired that quality about Charlie, she was always able to take an awkward situation and turn it on its head.

Rolling her eyes at his remark, she swirled the contents around in the glass before bringing it up to her lips, emptying all of it in one gulp. She sat it back down on the counter and Miles didn't even have to ask, filling it back up automatically. "We don't really have to go through the bullshit apologies and all do we?" She pouted at the end of the statement.

Miles threw his head back in laughter, "no kid, we don't have to…but I'm going to." The laughter before was replaced by a more serious tone as he looked at her in the eyes, "I'm sorry Charlie. I should've never made any of those assumptions last night. I was pissed…actually I don't even know if I was mad or not…I guess I was just hurt that you didn't tell me, that Bass didn't tell me."

Charlie nodded her head in agreement, she knew how that felt all too well, and Miles knew in that moment she was recalling his own betrayal, "I didn't realize that's how you felt when I didn't tell you sooner about your mom and I…guess this is my karma huh?"

"Miles you gotta know that neither of us would've withheld it from you on purpose, and I wouldn't do it to teach you a lesson or anything…" she trailed off at the end of her statement, but he knew that, he would never think Charlie capable of something so cruel.

He nodded, "no I know that kid, hell you and Bass are two of the most honest people I know, but life is cruel."

She laughed, "Yeah you can say that again." She turned her glass upside one more time, discarding the liquid in hr mouth, letting it burn as it trailed all the way down. This time she didn't ask for anymore, simply turning her cup to land upside down on the bar. She looked up at him again and sighed, "I just…I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that it had to be Bass, even though I don't wish I could take it back."

He laughed at her statement remembering Bass saying something damn near the same as she just did, "you don't know how much I wish it wasn't Bass either. It's weird not being able to share everything with him, but I sure as hell don't want to hear anything that has to do with you and Bass…no offence."

"None taken, I sure as hell don't want you to hear anything either. But thank you, minus that hissy fit you threw last night, you've handled it a lot better than I was expecting."

When she thought about telling her family, she always pictured in it ending up in some big catastrophic event, like doomsday, but at least she knew that Miles was relatively on their side for when they had to tell everyone else…and by everyone she was only thinking of Rachel.

Danny, if he hadn't already figured it out, wouldn't care one way or another, and Ben didn't have a hateful bone in his body, although she was sure he was going to have some sort of talk with Bass.

"I'm always on your team kid," she looked up at Miles who seemed to be reading her mind, "and judging from my black eye I guess I don't have to try to intimidate Bass considering you handle yourself just fine."

For the first time she got a good look at the damage she had done. She had no idea she was even doing it at the time, and it still didn't feel real until she felt the throbbing pain of her hand the next morning.

Trying to hold back the laughter, she grimaced at the sight of it in the light. She tried as long as she could before she burst out into laughter and he scowled, "come on you have to admit it was pretty funny."

He just glared at her, stacking glasses underneath the bar to be washed later, "next time just try to aim for my bad side at least, do your uncle a favor?"

"I thought you didn't have a bad side," she teased.

He nodded, "damn right I don't and don't you forget it," he smiled at her when she playfully rolled her eyes and shoved at his shoulder.

Things were back to normal between the two of them, with relatively little sentimental heart-to-heart bullshit that neither of them cared for. Normal except for the fact that his best friend was still banging his niece, and worst of all, his best friend was in love with her. And she probably didn't even realize because she didn't know Bass as well as he did, but Miles knew.

He could see the look in his eyes that night before he interrupted their rendezvous, it was the same look he had in his eyes now as he strolled through the bar, hands tucked in his pockets, genuinely surprised to find them there together…laughing.

Course actually now that Bass thought about it, he wasn't all that surprised. That would explain why she didn't answer his texts earlier and why Miles hadn't answered his call. Plus he knew that Charlie wouldn't be able to resist patching things up the first chance she got.

Following the direction of Miles' eyes, she turned in her seat to see Bass making his way over to them, smile spread from ear to ear while Miles just groaned as they continued to make googly eyes at one another.

"Bass stop looking at my niece like that," Miles pouted from behind the bar, groaning at the pair of them.

Bass chuckled, "would you prefer I looked at her a different way?" He raised his eyebrows in amusement at Miles' half-feign, half-real angry face.

"No dipshit, I'd prefer you didn't look at her at all, but I guess that ship has sailed."

This time it was Charlie that smiled as she caught Bass' eyes, "that ship never even made dock."

Taking his cue to leave, Miles went to the further end of the bar, and when he was out of sight, Bass leaned down and pressed a kiss on the top of Charlie's head. Not satisfied with that, she stood up from her seat and pressed her own lips against his mouth, chuckling when he removed his hands from the front of his pockets to go to the top of her ass.

White cloth hit Charlie lightly in the head as she pulled back from the kiss to glare at the thrower of said object, "ow…Miles it's not nice to throw shit."

"Sorry kid, I was aiming for the idiot behind you, you just happened to be in the way."

Bass smiled as she stuck her tongue out at Miles, not paying a bit more attention to him as she turned back around to look at Bass, "you're here early."

He nodded sitting down on the stool next to her as she resumed her place, "yeah I planned on getting a few drinks in before I had to be presentable to anyone. You know I function better with a few drinks in me," he laughed nervously.

It didn't sink in until he planted his ass on the bar stool beside of her that he was in fact nervous to meet her friends. He wanted them to like him sure, but more than that he wanted them to be okay with the fact that he was older than her…by a lot. He didn't want them to judge her or change their opinion of her because of that choice.

When he got silent she could sense that something was wrong, placing a comforting hand on his knee, she squeezed there gently as his eyes snapped up to meet hers, "don't worry, I promise you'll like them."

He laughed, what a ridiculous statement. Of course he would like them, hell he already liked them because they were special to Charlie and he doubted that she would be friends with just anyone. That wasn't even a thought of a problem for Bass.

"And they'll like you too, so quit fidgeting and shaking your knee before I tell Miles to just get you fully drunk, I'm sure they'd like you then," her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Placing his hand on top of hers, he squeezed her hand gently before receiving a whack up against his head, turning it sharply to see Miles' smiling face, "that was for earlier when I hit Charlie and missed you."

He didn't even have time to retort, Charlie took the hand that was under Bass' hand and whacked Miles on the shoulder, pointing a stern finger at him as he rubbed the now sore spot, "play nice and bring some more whiskey."

Grumbling under his breath about her bossiness, he sat down another cup in front of Bass as Charlie turned hers right side up and he filled both of their glasses. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to the actual paying customers…freeloaders."

Both Bass and Charlie laughed at Miles pretending to be irritated at them, when clearly he was never happier. It must've been an interesting situation, but that didn't make him any less happy…not when he knew how much they both cared for one another.

Charlie and Bass made small talk at the bar for a while, giving up on Miles showing up, Bass reached across the bar to where he left the bottle of whiskey and took it upon himself to tend to his own needs.

"What are you doing after this?" It was a seemingly innocent question, but Bass wiggled his eyebrows for dramatic effect at the end of the question.

Charlie winked at him, "not you," chuckling when his mouth tilted up into a pouty face, "I have to be at mom's house tomorrow during the day for the movie marathon."

Confusion registered in Bass' face as his eyebrows knitted together, at that Charlie answered his unspoken question, "family tradition they started when Danny was a kid. I think Miles has been to a few movie marathons, I'm sure you'll both be invited by dad if you haven't already."

That was a good possibility, Miles always forgot to tell them when he volunteered them to do shit, or when they were invited places until last minute.

Absentmindedly nodding Bass looked at her again before trying a different angle, "we don't have to have sex all the time Charlie, sheesh is that all I am to you?" He mocked hurt and pretended to take offense before smirking, "although I would never turn you down. You can just come and stay the night and really sleep…nothing else."

He held his hands up when she looked at him with a skeptical face, "I highly doubt that you and I could sleep together in a bed and just…sleep. Too much room for temptation."

At this point he wasn't sure if this was a genuine concern of hers or not, but just in case, he removed his hands from the glass and cupped her cheeks, looking her square in the eye, "I want every part of you Charlie, but that doesn't mean I have to have every part at once. I am ok with just holding you and nothing else coming from that."

It took her breath away, his raw, unfiltered confession of how far his desire for her went. She wasn't typically good with all of the emotions that came along with friendships or relationships, but somehow it came out naturally when she was with Bass, "if you think you can keep your hands to yourself…then ok."

She was smiling up at him when he scoffed, "I made no such promises, I will be a perfect gentleman, but hell will freeze over before I agree that I won't touch you."

Moving forward in her seat to lodge a knee in between his legs, coming dangerously close to one particular region of his body, she whispered, "well I guess it's a good thing I'm particularly fond of your touch."

He groaned, "ok I promise to be a gentleman, but you have to promise not to instigate anything. I may be old, but I'm definitely not that old, especially not when it comes to you…my self control isn't foolproof."

Howling laughter erupted from her lips and she drew back onto her bar stool, instantly missing the feel of his warm body so close to hers, "I promise not to tease you, how's that?"

A lopsided grin formed on his face, "that's all I ask."

She turned her head at the sound of familiar voices coming though the bar entrance, her face lighting up when she took in her friends as they all made their way over to her.

Standing up, one by one, she envelope them in a hug, greeting them, "I'm so glad you guys could all make it! You found the place okay yeah?"

They nodded their heads, and then in true Charlie fashion she slapped her hand against her forehead, "right of course, Bass this is everyone. Everyone this is Bass."

To say he was surprised at how fast they welcomed him would be an understatement. Each of them wrapped him in a one armed hug as he sat still, returning the hug as much as he good.

Charlie smiled at the gesture knowing he was like Miles…not a big hugger. "And by everyone I should probably tell you names. This is Mia and David, Thomas who was my American Literature professor three semesters ago, and Sarah," after each name she pointed to them as they waved and smiled at him.

She had a diverse group of friends what from a pretty obvious couple, to an ex-professor, and ending with a very chipper, cheerful looking girl probably barely 18.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to my uncle who owns the bar, and we can sit down and get drinks," she motioned with her hand for them to follow her. One by one, they trailed along behind her as Bass sat back and watched in amusement as Miles became flustered by the amount of attention he was receiving.

Catching a glimpse of his still sitting form, Charlie pouted, sticking her lower lip at, until Bass complied and made his way over there. Just for fun at the end of introducing her friends she turned to Bass, "and this is Bass."

Miles crossed his arms over his chest, "looks like an asshole to me."

"Takes one to know one," was his very mature response, to which Miles just rolled his eyes, as everyone else remained clueless about their very stranger interaction.

Charlie laughed at their faces, "they know each other, Bass' is Miles' best friend."

The guy David came to the conclusion before the rest of them, "so you're dating your best friend's niece?" Nothing about his tone was judgmental, but Bass was still holding his breath when he smiled and nodded.

The girl at his side just laughed, "I wish my uncle's best friend growing up looked like you," her boyfriend David just feigned hurt.

And just like that the ice was broken, and all of Bass' previous worries evaporated and in their place was filled with laughter, embarrassing stories about Charlie, and lots and lots of whiskey.

"So we're playing this game in Spanish class where we have to run and sit in a chair when we hear a certain phrase we're listening for. You take a chair out each round, until there is an eventual winner," David took a breath there trying to control his laughter, "so we get started playing the game and 10 minutes into it I see a blur shaped like Charlie, running by me to get in the chair…but in order to get in it she would've had to go around the front of the row and there was no time. So what does she do? Of course, typical Charlie sits on the armrest of the chest and slides her ass down until it's lodged in the seat. She's safe from being eliminated but I turn around to see that she's fucking stuck in the chair. Mia is laughing so hard she can't breath, but she tries her best to go around and get Charlie out of the chair, but the only thing left for her to do is pick the desk up and tip her out. I mean I probably could've helped more but I was too busy laughing my ass off like half the class. Hands down the best first day experience I've ever had."

At the beginning of this story Charlie let out a frustrated groan, of course he would tell this story, he always did, but once Bass stared laughing and everyone else joined in, she couldn't help but do the same.

It was a damn funny story and definitely memorable, "well I could tell them a bunch of embarrassing stories about you, but I'll save them all for next time. I have to confer with Mia about the best ones."

"Mia would never agree to help you," he scoffed at what he thought was a ridiculous idea, but Bass knew better. Charlie could be persuasive in ways that didn't involve sex. If she wanted embarrassing stories, she would get them.

Mia obviously knew this too because she looked away from her boyfriend's eyes and he exclaimed, "are you kidding me?"

Charlie laughed, "sorry, hoes over bros," she shrugged her shoulders while everyone else just chuckled. It was then she turned to Thomas, her professor, "Bass is a big fan of the Civil War, I told him about some of the literature we read in class, but most of it he knew already."

Thomas turned to Bass, "ah you like war stories?"

Bass resisted the urge to blush at the question being directly thrown at him, "yeah, I'm uhh…kinda into the Civil War."

"There's a lot of great literature that came out of that time period if you ever want some recommendations. I'm a huge Civil war buff myself, even participated in some reenactments."

A smile spread over Bass' face before he could even think about containing it, "I've actually always wanted to do one of those, but I could definitely use a list of good things to read. I was a Marine, so reading about war is as close as I want to get to it again."

"I'll tell you what, next time there's a reenactment I'll let Charlie know and she can tell you. We're always looking for dedicated soldiers to come freeze their asses off in the winter in polyester wool clothes and sweat at least 10 pounds in the summer," he chuckled at how bad it sounded, but that didn't discourage Bass.

Sometime after she introduced them and got them started on the topic of war, Charlie tuned them out, only catching words here and there as she turned around to her other friends, but the main thing she caught was that Bass wanted to be apart of a reenactment. For some reason the thought of him dressing up in uniform made her wet just thinking about it.

She distracted herself from the inappropriate thoughts by throwing herself into a conversation with her friends about their finals and how the rest of the semester went for them, but every now and again her mind wandered back to Bass.

She knew she agreed not to tease and torment him, and she also knew that they agreed to not having sex tonight, but she couldn't control her lust. She felt as damn hormonal as he did. At the rate they were going, they would use up all the sex positions and have to develop new ones of their own for entertainment.

Reaching her hand out underneath the table, she grasped his hand in hers as she drew it across to rest on the upper part of her leg. Bass didn't think anything of it and continued talking with Thomas about antique guns and swords, the thought of him carrying either only made things worse for Charlie as she listened to her friends babble on.

Taking her time, she moved his hand from the top of her knee, all the way up to her thigh, pausing at the top, but still Bass didn't notice. It wasn't until she moved his hand in between her legs that his mouth twitched and his jaw grew tense as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Form the corner of her eye, she saw him relax a bit, but then tense again when she pushed his hand further, letting him feel exactly how wet she was right then through the fabric of her pants. He coughed, trying to cover up a moan, which thankfully no one else at the table seemed to be aware of.

It was just them two, alone in their moment. She let go of his hand, figuring it had to be even harder for him to hide his excitement than it was for her. Still Bass didn't take his hand back altogether; he left his hand on the top of her knee as he dragged it up and down her thigh.

He thoroughly enjoyed meeting them all, and even found a friend in Thomas who was quite older than both Bass and Charlie, but he could see why she developed a friendship with him. He was intellectual, engaging, and passionate about what he loved.

But he was never gladder when David and Mia announced they were leaving, after Mia was sufficiently tipsy and David had to almost carry her out. Followed by Sarah, who loved to laugh at stories, but was relatively quiet. Last to go was Thomas who shook Bass' hand again before he left, making sure that Charlie was going to treat him right.

She turned on him as soon as he left, "how is it that I'm pretty sure my friends like you more than they like me."

Bass laughed at her childish tone and the way her lower lip wanted to jut out, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and drawing her close, "I'm pretty sure that no one could like me more than they like you."

"Not true'" came her muffled voice from below, "Everyone loves the Grinch more than they love Cindy."

Bass placed two fingers under her chin and turned her face up towards him so he could see her, "but it's the Grinch that loves Cindy more."

The kiss that took place was not heated, rushed, or sexual. It was sensual, sweet, and slow as Charlie tried to pour into it every emotion she was feeling at the moment, but the most prominent one being that of love. She felt love for Bass, and loved by Bass, and she didn't know which she liked better.

She broke the kiss when Miles interrupted, clearing his throat, "ok you too…PDA is strictly not allowed in this bar…not by you two anyway. So take it somewhere else."

When he realized what he was saying he turned back around and makes a disgusted face, "scratch that…don't take it anywhere else. Leave it here and you two go somewhere else…understand?"

Laughter bubbled up, and before she could repress it, Charlie started giggling at Miles' embarrassment at practically telling them to get a room, "loud and clear, uncle Miles."

She picked her jacket up and threw it on quickly before turning to walk towards the door, only stopping momentarily to see if Bass was following, and he was, but slowly.

"Bass I did not tell you to get a room," he said at a normal volume before turning to where Charlie was tapping her foot impatiently and yelling, "I did not tell you two to get a room."

Snickering, Charlie looked around at everyone who was staring at Miles in confusion. He simply threw his hands up in the air, "ah hell, just get out of my bar."

Bass, after taking his sweet ass time, caught up with Charlie and walked out of the bar with her, hand-in-hand. Tucking her into the crevice of his arm as they walked to his car, "you know you don't have to stay the night if you have to be up early tomorrow."

She smirked up at him, "why are you suddenly changing your mind about the whole being a gentleman thing because of how wet I was getting picturing you in a colonial war uniform with a sword at your side?"

Bass grinned, "That's what was turning you on?"

She nodded vigorously and he chuckled at her before climbing into the driver's seat. When she curled up in the passenger seat he winked over at her, "I'll have to keep that in mind for later."

Even though she was tired, Bass could see the excitement in her eyes brewing as she thought about 'later,' but right now she just wanted to get home and get into bed.

Her apartment definitely would've been closer, but he came to her apartment the majority of the time, just because of its location to Miles' bar, so it would be a nice change to be in his house.

It was exactly like she remembered, she thought to herself as she made her way into the house and straight for his bedroom, she knew that room at least.

Shutting the door behind him and cutting off the porch light, he followed her into his room, rummaging through his drawers to find a shirt for himself, as he tossed one in her direction.

Shimming out of her pants, she folded them and discarded them on the floor beside of her along with the shirt she was wearing, gliding the soft, worn, cotton fabric of Bass' shirt over her head. It feel to just a couple inches past her hips, but it was enough to full cover everything, not like Charlie would care if it didn't.

Bass got one glimpse of her before she peeled the covers back on the bed and hopped in. Charlie anytime was beautiful, but Charlie wearing nothing but his shirt was the most magnificent thing he had ever seen. Something that was all his.

Climbing in beside of her, he hovered a few inches away from her in case she wanted space while she slept. He wasn't much of a cuddler anyway so it didn't matter to him, plus he didn't think she would be either.

He was pleasantly surprised when she reached around, taking his arm in her hand, and draped it across her stomach. Bass took that as a sign that she wanted to be held and who was he to turn down her down. He pulled her closer to his body, spooning her body as she melted into him, "goodnight Bass."

Laying one last kiss on the crown of her head, he nuzzled his cheek against her soft hair, "goodnight Charlotte."


	14. Snowed-In, Show-Down

Annual tradition included the Matheson family gathering for holiday movie marathoning all day long starting on December 24th, Christmas Eve, and going until 12 A.M. midnight or as long as they could last.

It was a tradition that Rachel started when Danny was young due to his constant asthma flare-ups. She didn't want to make him feel bad that they stayed up late with him, so every so often she would propose movie marathons, to which neither Danny nor Charlie refused.

The idea just stuck with them and eventually seeped its way into the Christmas holiday, due to those movies being Ben's favorite.

They would make a list of their favorite holiday movies, and each year they would choose between the lists to determine which ones would make the cut. While they watched their movies fresh baked cookies would be baking in the oven, along with popcorn and of course, hot chocolate. Or for Danny, eggnog, but everyone was quite sure he had enough eggnog for this year.

This year was no different than any other year. Rachel had already put the cookies in the oven to bake, something she knew she couldn't mess up, mostly because Ben was the one who remembered to check on them and take them out.

She sat out six cups along the kitchen counter, remembering that Miles and Bass were joining this year, which she didn't mind. Bass made her realize that it was selfish to put her feelings above Ben's who seemed happier this year, no doubt in relation to Miles being home.

There may have been some bad blood shed between the two of them for a moment, but Ben loved his brother more than anything, and Ben wasn't the type to hold grudges anyway. It was one of the things Rachel loved best about him because she herself was terrible at not letting things go and clinging too tightly to the past.

Bringing her back into the current moment, she smiled as she turned around to be met with Ben's face, Miles and Bass trailing along behind him, "found some strays who wanted to join in on the Christmas movie watching."

Miles scrunched his face up in repulsion, "actually we just came for cookies and hot chocolate, you know I hate those stupid Christmas movies."

"Call them stupid again and I'll break out your Christmas sweater, it's still there…waiting for you," Charlie drawled out the last part, hauntingly, as she walked into the kitchen, peeling off her jacket and shaking snow everywhere. Miles smiled a genuine smile at her.

Rachel scolded Charlie as soon as she took in the sight of her dumping drops of snow on the kitchen floor, "could you have at least left some snow outside?"

Charlie rolled her eyes, "it's water mom, it'll melt."

Just then Danny came strolling in beside of his sister. Pretending to slip, dramatically flailing his arm and clutching at his chest, on the puddle of water forming around Charlie's feet, "God Charlie, are you trying to kill me?"

Rachel's back was to them, but she could hear the shuffling of his feet when he entered and she turned around, "see what did I tell you? It's water alright, and you know what water is….slippery."

Fighting back a smile, Danny stuck his tongue out at his sister who just flipped him off for his need to always dramatize things. Looking at his mother, he laughed, "I was just being sarcastic, it's barely a little puddle of water. Plus water evaporates mom."

A sickeningly sweet smile formed across Rachel's face, "oh I know you were sweetheart, I was just giving you a chance to take it back."

Skeptically Danny raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, backing away from her slowly, "why…what are you—"

Before he could say anything else, Rachel sprang forward; both Miles and Bass moved a fraction of a step out of the way, while Charlie had no idea what was about to happen. Grabbing a bowl of water that was sitting on the table, which Rachel had intended to boil and make a big thing of hot chocolate out of, she turned the contents upside down on top of both of her children's heads.

Letting the bowl clatter against the counter as she sat it back down, she smiled, dusting off her hands. Looking at their soaking wet, drenched, and unamused faces she started laughing, "what its just water…it'll evaporate."

She wiped her hands on the dishtowel hanging on the stove as she stepped past them, patting Danny tenderly on his back, "have fun cleaning that up you two."

Bass and Miles couldn't hold in their laughter anymore, they stopped trying as soon as Rachel threw her own children's sass right back at them.

Now doubled over in laughter beside of the refrigerator, they were struggling to catch their breath when Charlie snapped at them, "I don't see what's so funny."

Miles clutched at his side, "well you obviously don't see yourself kid or you'd be laughing with us."

Bass, who had fully caught his breath as his laughter turned into a chuckle, looked over at a now drenched Charlie as she tried shaking her hair, wringing out the excess water.

The way the water droplets tumbled slowly down her body, starting at the crown of her head, all the way to her feet, made Bass' mouth go dry. He would never be able to get enough of Charlie to satisfy that thirst.

Not paying a bit of attention to his wandering eye, Charlie brushed the water on her arms, and rubbed at her chest where the majority of the water had collected.

It was only then that she noticed Bass was staring at her, the lust evident in his eyes as he shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest. Raising an eyebrow at him, she smiled, until Miles groaned loudly, "son of a bitch…I give up," he threw his hands dramatically into the air, looking between the two of them.

Charlie laughed, "and now I know where Danny gets his drama skills from."

Danny, who had bent down to mop up some of the water with the towel, glared up at Charlie, "see if I ever intervene on your behalf."

She rolled her eyes and spun around on her heels, not even attempting to help clean anything up, "you're just mad because now you aren't the favorite anymore. You lose that privilege when you start giving sarcastic answers to her questions."

Truthfully she was going to help with the cleaning, mostly because Danny was right, it was her fault, but she couldn't. Not when Bass was looking at her like that while other people were present in the room. She had to get out of there.

Hanging her coat up on the rack, she unlaced her boots and sat them beside where everyone else had left theirs near the front door. She turned around in time to see her dad coming down the stairs.

He went to greet her with a hug, but decided against that when he saw that she was wet. Laughing, he just shook his head; "I don't even want to know," turning to go into the kitchen, Charlie heard him exclaim, "What the hell happened in here?"

All she heard was Danny spluttering out a pathetic excuse about how he was being punished for trying to be a good brother, using his poutiest voice. She didn't hear the rest of it, voices fading as she went upstairs to change her clothes.

Entering into her room always brought back a wave of memories and emotions for her because she didn't go home too often anymore and when she did she was only there for the day. She hadn't stayed in her room, or felt the need to come into it in months, but it was exactly as she left it down to the scrap of paper on the desk beside her bed.

She should've been more prepared…muttering to herself something about the lack of clothing she actually left at the house. This would be a lesson to her to either bring spare clothes with her in her car, or at least bring some decent ones back home in case of emergencies.

Charlie was very ill prepared for most everything, something that really bothered Miles because he was the King of being prepared, expect the unexpected and all that mumbo jumbo.

She finally found a high school t-shirt in the bottom of her closet, clean but a little bit torn and wrinkled, and yoga pants that were the only things she wore her freshman year. She had just pulled the yoga pants up when she heard the shutting of her door.

Peering out of the closet she found Bass standing there with a smile on his face, "I was sent to inform you that everyone is waiting on you princess."

Chuckling, she disappeared back into the closet as she pulled the t-shirt over her head, "story of my life, I'm always the last one present." Picking up the wet articles of clothing, she laid them out on the dresser in her closet to try, making a mental note for herself to remember to get them before she left tonight, that was one of her favorite shirts.

Bass had gotten silent and Charlie went to turn around and make a comment about that, but as soon as she did she came face to face with a very close Bass. His warm hands slid around her waist, instantly warming up her icy skin, as his lips licked the remaining droplets of water on her neck, up to her earlobe, sucking it into his mouth as she placed her hands on his chest to steady herself.

"Bass we shouldn't do this here, we don't have long, and they will definitely come looking for me if they're already waiting on me." Excuses flowed casually without effort, but she wasn't listening to any of them as his mouth continued to suck and nibble on her ear, and his hands kneaded the top of her ass.

She moaned quietly and pressed herself harder against him before growing tired of his mouth being everywhere but on hers. She reached out, gripping his face in between her hands, and smashed their lips together in a fiery kiss, hot enough to melt even the coldest of hearts.

Her feet left the ground, the only thing remaining were the very tips of her toes as her hands went automatically to his hair, one of her favorite things about him. She loved to run her hands through his curls, but her favorite thing to do was jerk on the strands in between her fingers, moaning when he grunted out in pain.

Suddenly the feeling of his lips on hers was gone; eyes fluttering open to meet his still closed ones. He leaned into her touch, leaving their foreheads pressed against one another as he smiled, "they weren't really waiting on you, I just had to touch you at least once tonight. Especially after seeing you drenched. You have no idea what you do to me no matter how you look, what you wear, what you don't wear…"

He trailed off suggestively and Charlie just sighed, she really wished they had more time because there was nothing she wanted more than to show him how much he meant to her.

She was never really good at expressing her emotions, not in words anyway, she was better at showing people how she felt. Her teasing and tormenting Danny growing up was always a sign of her love and affection, which Danny knew, likewise how she always talked shit with Miles. It was their way of bonding, her way of showing how much she loved them.

For Charlie though, she felt that just showing Bass wasn't enough, she wanted to be able to tell him like he did all the time. Like she did that night they went ice skating, that night she just threw caution to the wind and said fuck it, but she hadn't really been able to scrounge up enough of that courage to do it again. Not even when Bass said he loved her the night Miles found out.

Sure she said in that moment that she would've responded had it not been for Miles, but honestly she didn't know if that were the case. She felt that love most definitely, but she couldn't get her mouth to say it.

The silence between them grew, but Bass didn't notice, he was taking in as much Charlie as he could before he had to pretend that she all but existed to him the rest of the night.

He pulled back from her, still smiling, but it never quite reached his eyes like it did before, and Charlie knew what he was thinking, "I know you want to tell them soon, and it's not that I don't…I'm just—"

"Worried?" He supplemented for her as she fought for the word. She nodded her head as he laughed, "what do you have to be worried for, they love you regardless."

Shaking her head, some of the linger water particles fell from her hair and landed on his arm, "I don't care if they love me or not afterwards, I'm just worried about you. In my head I might've thought Miles would be the worst, but all this time I knew it would be my mother."

He cupped her face gently one more time, "Charlie I don't care if they do or don't, the two most important people to me…I know they do."

Her heart started pounding in her chest, the same way it would if she had actually said those words out loud. Bass knew that she loved him, even if she hadn't said it in all of those words, he somehow just knew.

"We should probably head downstairs now before they really do come up here to find you," he laughed, walking out of her closet and heading for the door. He winked at her as he exited, feet thumping as he walked down the stairs.

Charlie just smiled at his retreated form as she looked around her room one more time, it was funny how a place that was home to her for so long, suddenly felt like a foreign place to her. Maybe it wasn't the place that was foreign, but her.

Shutting the door softly, she quickly galloped down the stairs to hop over the back of the couch and land beside Miles who jumped and clutched at his chest, "Jesus Charlie, give a guy some warning."

Sticking her hand into the popcorn that was sitting on his lap, she shoved a handful into her mouth, chewing some before she talked, "excuse me grandpa, I didn't realize it almost gave you a heartache to be seated so near my stunningly attractive self."

Miles snorted, "please we all know that you got your devilishly good looks for me kid."

He rubbed his fist into her head when she just made a face at him. She pulled back and swatted at him, "stop you're gonna tangle my hair."

"Children if you can't behave I'll send you to bed without supper, and definitely without hot chocolate," came Rachel's stern voice from the hallway, carrying in her hands a plate of cookies.

"No dinner I believe that's called child abuse mom," Charlie laughed from beside Miles.

Rachel reached down and took a cookie, shoving it into Charlie's mouth, "eat a cookie and be quiet dear."

Swallowing down the last bit of cookie as Rachel went back into the kitchen Charlie sniggered and then turned to Danny who was sitting on the far end of the couch, "what's gotten into her? She's happy, pleasant…downright cheerful. I don't like this."

Danny just laughed, shaking his head, "I don't know, beats me, but if it means cookies I won't question anything."

Typical Danny, if someone gave him food then the rest was irrelevant to him. When that food happened to be cookies, Santa himself could appear with flying reindeers, a sleigh, and all the works and Danny wouldn't notice.

Bass came back into the living room, expecting Danny to move closer to his sister, that way he wouldn't be sitting so close to her but Danny just rolled his eyes. Stuffing another cookie into his mouth, "just sit down," was his grumbled response, cookie pieces flying everywhere.

Plopping down next to Charlie on the couch, Bass looked over at Danny, "didn't your mother ever tell you it was inappropriate to talk with your mouth full of food?"

Once he swallowed the rest of the cookie he looked at Bass, "do you really think you're one to talk to be about inappropriate?"

He raised his eyebrows looking between Bass and Charlie, while all Miles could do was snicker and high five Danny across the couch, "burnnnnnn."

"What is this, the third grade?" Bass complained, putting on a fake pouty face at being left out of the club.

Charlie looked at each and every one of them before shrugging her shoulders and murmuring, "boys."

Saving them for yet another pointless conversation that would eventually turn into a childish argument, Rachel returned carrying more cookies, along with Ben who brought in the movies.

He set the DVDs down on top of the TV as he went through them, "ok so we have Elf, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, The Nightmare Before Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause, Die Hard, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas."

As soon as the last title left his mouth, Miles started to groan, "no…anything but that one."

Neither Bass nor Charlie could help laughing at his adamant refusal to watch that one ever since he found out about them sleeping together and how they called one another the Grinch and Cindy-Lou-Who.

"No way that one is a must, we watch it ever year, I like that one," Charlie exclaimed with the help of Bass who piped in, "yeah I like it too."

Ben turned around laughing as he shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry brother, looks like you've been out voted."

Both Rachel and Ben were oblivious to Bass' aide, but Miles wasn't. He turned to glare at them, sticking his middle finger up at him and mouthing the words 'betrayal.'

Charlie pretended not to notice, eyes focused on the TV screen, but Bass just playfully rolled his eyes at Miles' jealousy.

They weren't two movies down before everyone had managed to eat everything in sight, and by everyone she meant Danny. Danny had eaten the whole tub of popcorn meant to be shared, and almost the whole plate of cookies, exclaiming that he was a growing boy and needed to eat.

"Charlie can you go make some more?" He whined from the couch trying to get her attention over the movie.

"Why can't you do it, human garbage disposal that eats everything?"

"Pleaseeeeee," he begged, "and hot chocolate and cookies too," he added on once she gave in and stood up from the couch.

Putting her hands on her hips she looked at him with a blank expression, "I'm one person Danny, how do you expect me to carry all of that shit?"

"Bass go help her, I don't trust Miles since last time he was left alone with a beverage he got me drunk."

Miles cried out, "hey you know that was Bass' idea and I said I was sorry, plus I had to deal with your ass all night."

"Yeah because it was your fault in the first place for listening to Bass," Danny shot back at him.

They continued arguing while Charlie, followed by Bass, went into the kitchen to go about making more popcorn and hot chocolate.

Danny did actually mean everything he said about Miles, but he only nominated Bass to go because he could tell that they were both itching at the chance to be alone together. Danny could see out of the corner of his eye Bass' hand twitching to reach out and grab Charlie's every time she laughed or smiled.

It was sickening to watch, but at the same time it warmed his heart to see both of them so…happy, pleasant, downright cheerful. Maybe that's how Charlie felt earlier in the day when she said Rachel was acting that way and it was creepy. He understood that now.

The only bad thing about Danny and Miles knowing about their relationship was the fact that they couldn't have picked two more oblivious people to confide in. Miles was easily distracted by anything, and Danny often forgot when he knew a secret that other people didn't know.

Which is why neither one of them noticed when Rachel got up from her spot on the loveseat next to Ben to go help them.

Bass had just finished cutting and laying out the cookies on the pan and moved to brush past Charlie to put them in the oven. Closing the door of the oven, he laid the knife on the counter and moved out of her way so she could finish the popcorn and heating the water on the stove for hot chocolate.

His hand found the patch of skin showing from where her shirt had ridden up, lightly stroking the skin there as he watched her with a smile.

"What the hell is this?" Came from a voice behind them.

Bass instinctively let go of Charlie as if she was a fire that had burned him. But Charlie on the other hand wasn't as graceful as Bass. The hand that was on the pot of boiling hot water jerked, causing a good chunk of it to splash up on her arm.

Effectively scalding her skin, she immediately let go of the pot on the counter, grimacing when it spilled everywhere and knocked the knife Bass had used to cut the cookies with, off of the counter.

And if the catastrophe wasn't over yet, she attempted in vain to catch the falling knife, all thought and reason flying out the window, yelping out in pain when it lodged itself in her palm.

All of that happened within the time span of a few seconds and Bass gave up all pretenses, not giving a damn who was in the room when he heard her cry out, "shit Charlie."

He grabbed her other arm and pulled her to the kitchen sink, turning on the cold water, "Miles!" He yelled out, but due to all the commotion and noise they caused everyone was already in the kitchen.

Miles was instantly at her side in a flash inspecting the damage, "shit…it's okay, we're just going to have to take the knife out okay kid?"

Charlie didn't answer, move, or nod her head. She just stood there gritting her teeth in pain as Miles looked to Bass, "Bass pull the knife out and run her hand under the water, I'll go get some towels."

He gave Bass no choice as he left the room, looking at Rachel's distraught and stunned face as he passed by.

Bass tilted Charlie's head up to look into her eyes, pain and fear evident sending a pang to his chest, "hey look at me okay? I'm going to pull this out okay? I just need you to look at me, understand?"

She nodded her head, not trusting her own voice yet as she stared into his eyes. Seconds after he asked her, he quickly removed it from her hand, thankful it wasn't the biggest knife, but it was still pretty significant, not to mention the red patch of skin on her arm.

Moving her hand to the cold water, he winced when he saw her bite back a response, until she looked at his worried face, "I'm okay…it's okay."

He laughed, "I know you are."

Miles came back into the room with two small kitchen towels, eyes meeting Bass' to ask the unspoken question, to which Bass nodded. "Way to go klutz, you spilled all the water for the hot chocolate."

Charlie laughed through the pain, trying not to focus on the blood mixing with the water in the sink, "just for that you don't get any damn hot chocolate, in fact when you patch my hand up I'm going to get the sweaters and you're gonna wear the ugliest one yet."

Miles just laughed, handing the towel over to Bass, "here you patch her up, you always did better in the medic training than I did."

Bass just snorted, "Yeah because I wasn't busy screwing my way through the instructors."

He took the cloth from Miles' hand regardless, turning off the water and replacing it immediately with a tightly wrapped towel around her hand. He secured it with tape, making sure none of the blood would seep through, as he went to address the burn on her hand.

"Is anyone going to mention why when I came into the room Bass was in here groping my daughter?"

Ben's ears perked up at this, "what? What are you talking about Rachel?"

Miles sighed, "I think this takes precedence right now Rachel, they'll be plenty of time for you to have your temper tantrum later."

Charlie looked up to him, her eyes smiling in thanks for him stepping in and combating her mother when she couldn't think of anything else right now except how good the anti-burn ointment felt against her skin.

After a few minutes the burning eased off a bit, and the throbbing, dull pain in her hand was subsiding after Bass handed her some Aleve. Now that her color came back to her cheeks, Rachel pounced on her, "I want answers Charlie."

She sighed, "Bass and I are together, sorry I didn't mention it before I just didn't really think it was a huge deal." She tried to play it off nonchalantly, but her mother wasn't having any of that.

"Bullshit Charlie, I'm a mother, try that on some who wasn't a rebellious teenager at that age," Rachel was growing more furious by the minute, but Charlie didn't care.

"I'm not a teenager though who's going through a phase, I'm an adult so spare me the lecture about reckless choices, I don't think you're one to pass judgement," Charlie sneered in her mother's direction.

When she wasn't breaking through to Charlie, Rachel tried in a different angle, turning to Bass instead, "Bass you know this isn't a smart choice, not only due to the age gap, but you two are in two different points of your life right now. You want to settle down and have a family, you always have, do you really want to deprive Charlie of the chance to live her life while she's still young?"

Charlie tried interrupting, but Bass beat her to the punch, "listen Rachel I have nothing against you, but the thing is, you don't know Charlie that well at all…that much is obvious. I couldn't deprive her of anything that she really wanted because she's Charlie," he laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him as he looked down at her face, "I do want a family eventually, but a family doesn't have to mean anything specific, right now I'm pretty happy with the family I have."

Family is something that Bass didn't think he'd ever have again, not in the same way as before when his parents and sisters were still alive. That spot was still there, reserved for them, as it would always be. But somewhere along the way his heart opened up a new, vacant spot, and the Mathesons had filled that spot.

"Whether you want to look at her like that or not, Charlie's still a kid who doesn't always make the best decisions Bass. I can't even get her to think about her future seriously, do you really think she's the best choice in a partner for you?"

Rachel didn't mean it to come out harshly, but she didn't want to see Bass deprived of anything either. He stood with his mouth agape; he didn't think Rachel would be the kind of person who believed Charlie wasn't good enough for him.

Collecting his thoughts, he answered before Charlie could get angry again, "she might not always make the best decisions, I would say that I'm a prime example, but she makes decisions and sticks by them 100%. Can you say that? She's passionate and loves the path she's chosen, besides no one should take life too seriously, we all die anyway."

Miles snorted before he could help himself, that's when Rachel turned on him, "you knew about this thing going on and you didn't even tell me?"

Raising his hands up in surrender, "I only found out about it awhile ago, and believe me I was pissed, even got in a few swings before I got ahold of myself, but it wasn't my place to tell you Rachel."

"Like hell it wasn't Miles, she is my daughter, she's your—"

Stopping suddenly she snapped her mouth closed, but it was too late, Miles was on that like white on rice, "she's my what Rachel? Are you fucking kidding me right now? You're just now waiting to tell me that she's mine?"

"If I told you she was your daughter would their relationship make a difference, would it change your opinion?" She asked, pointing to where they stood.

Miles looked at them for a few minutes, trying to picture Charlie as his own daughter. He gave up quickly because he realized that he was picturing her no differently. To him it didn't matter what kind of label you put on her. She was special to him regardless of how she was related to him.

Shaking his head he answered, "No Rach, it wouldn't change a damn thing because I love Charlie just as much as I do now as I would if she were my daughter. But I also love Bass too, and you may not have come to terms with it yet, I needed awhile too, hell you may never come to terms with it, but nothing changes the way I feel about it."

"Well if she were your daughter then maybe you'd have a different response, right Ben?"

Miles let out a breath internally at the fact that Charlie wasn't his daughter. Not because he didn't want her to be, but because he knew it would be harder on her. Rachel obviously just got caught up in the moment and thought it would help change his opinion of their relationship. That backfired on her.

For the first time since the whole showdown began, her actual father Ben, was being asked his opinion. Ironic that Miles would be asked before Ben was even consulted about the whole thing.

Ben sighed as he went over closer to them, "I've known Bass my whole life. When Miles got into trouble Bass was always one step behind him so he wouldn't have to suffer alone. And vice versa, anytime Bass was in trouble, Miles threw himself under the blade in efforts to stay together. I was even a little jealous at how close they were as kids, even though they always included me in things. I just always knew that it was Miles and Bass vs. everyone else. They let people hang out with them, but they didn't let people in." He paused looking at the way Charlie was clutching onto Bass, and his gentle hand running along her arm, "but he let Charlie in."

When Ben came closer to Charlie to run a hand over her hair, smoothing it down in the process Bass let go of her, "do you love him?"

Charlie's body instantly stilled and went on red alert. She didn't know why being asked this question was so frightening when she already knew the answer to the question, shit Bass knew the answer to the question, he just said so upstairs.

It was something about having to answer it vocally, being called out on the spot that made Charlie's blood run cold. But this was Ben she was talking to, this was her father, the one who already knew the answer when he looked at Bass' attentive response to her being hurt, when he looked at her now.

Nodding her head she whispered in a low breathy voice, "yeah."

It was only one word, but it was enough to shatter Bass' heart completely with joy. Ben knew that it must've been pretty serious for Charlie to have downright admitted it. Rachel might not have known Charlie, but Ben did, and he knew that she never admitted anything until she was absolutely sure of it.

He looked lovingly at Charlie before glaring at Bass with as much hate as he could muster up, "just as long as you don't think you can call me dad."

Bass started laughing immediately, which triggered Miles into a fit of laughter at the ridiculous idea.

Rachel all the while was looking at them in awe and shock, she had at least expected Ben to see things her way and be on her side. She couldn't keep silent any longer, slamming her hand down on the table, she stood up, "I can't believe you Ben, you're okay with them? Am I the only logical person here who sees how badly this is going to end?"

Having heard enough of her mother's mouth, Charlie stood up, mimicking her mother's position, "you're the only one who wants to see it ending badly because you want everyone else's life to be as miserable as you feel on the inside because you listened to your head instead of your heart."

Fury coursed through her veins as the words kept spewing out before she could stop them, clenching her hand up into a fist before remembering it was hurt and whimpering out.

"Charlie take it easy," Bass placed a calming hand on her arm, but she was beyond calming right now. She wanted to get out of that house and leave.

She spun on her heels leaving a shell-shocked Rachel sitting numbly in the kitchen, as Bass followed her, "Charlie wait, where are you going?"

She didn't answer but instead, she flung the door open only to be met with massive amounts of snow blowing into the house. In all this commotion and movie watching none of them noticed that the snowstorm outside seemed to pick up, leaving most of their cars under snow.

So much that it would leave them all stranded there. Without even thinking Charlie groaned and stomped her foot on the ground, shutting the door in an effort to keep the cold from coming in.

Bass looked at her amused, "did you just stomp your foot?"

Glaring at him, she ignored his questions and went back into the kitchen, "well it looks like we're all stuck here for the night."

When realization flashed across their faces, both Miles and Danny went to look out the kitchen window. Miles groaned and Charlie knew that he was thinking the same thing she did. She opened her big mouth and now they would all be stuck there to suffer and wait out the storm.

"Alright I'll get some blankets for the couch," Ben threw himself into a task instead of having to think about the bomb Charlie just dropped on them.

Feeling ballsy, Charlie spoke up, "Bass can sleep in my room, there's plenty of room."

Miles exclaimed, "I don't think so kid," the same time that Rachel got her head out of her ass to say, "like hell he will."

Charlie just scoffed at both of their answers, "I wasn't really asking permission from either of you. I was just telling dad where he could put the blankets." She looked at his panicked face when she all but threw him under the bus, "Bass can sleep on the floor, carpet has to feel a helluva lot better than the wood floor in the living room."

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, at least she recovered quickly and was able to spin that into some more appropriate. Unless she really meant he was sleeping on the floor.

Nothing pausing to hear anyone else's complaints, she made her way upstairs, not feeling like being apart of the holiday festivities anymore.

It wasn't five minutes before she got to her room that Ben brought in the blankets, staying to make sure that Bass was indeed setting up his bed on the floor. Bass just laughed at him taking on the over protective role because he knew Ben too well.

Once Ben left the room, Bass settled down on the floor, closing his eyes before he heard Charlie snort from the bed, "did you really think I was serious?"

Opening one eye he just smiled at her, "maybe I like the floor better."

"Suit yourself then," she turned out the lamp, burrowing underneath the covers, counting in her head until she felt the bed dip and his warm body up against hers. It was all too easy.

Turning around, she lodged one leg in between his and threw the other one over his hip as he hands lingered on his chest. Groaning out, his head came to lay on her shoulder, kissing lightly there, "as much as I'd love to do that here…I don't think in your childhood bedroom after you just hurt yourself is the best idea."

She was just thinking earlier how much the room had become somewhat of a distant memory to her, like she couldn't picture herself in it anymore, but that was because it was her that changed. The room should reflect how she felt now instead of being forced to live in the past.

Rolling her hips up against his, she whispered in his ear, "I think that it's a very good idea…think of it as christening my room." She licked the shell of his ear as his hand went to her hip, squeezing there.

Finally caving Bass grunted, "Fine but only if we can do it my way." Curiosity filled her eyes as she looked up at him, nodding. Smirking at her, he leaned down until his lips were inches away from hers, "turn around."

She did as she was told, even though she had no idea what his way meant, and as soon as her back was to him, he drew her in close, hand immediately going underneath the waistband of her shorts and stroking her already wet center.

Moaning out quietly, she bucked up into his hand as he inserted another finger, moving them at an annoyingly slow pace, before all of the sudden picking the pace up. Curling his fingers, he moved his thumb over her clit, pinching lightly.

Within minutes Charlie quivered into his hand, riding out her orgasm as his lips sucked on her neck, tongue coming out to lick the wounds he was making.

He gave her no time before he removed both his boxers, as well as her shorts, finding that she was completely bare underneath, "you're naughty you know that?"

Peering over her shoulder, she smirked up at him, "and what do you do to people who are on the naughty list huh?"

Before she was given a response, he took the tip of his dick in his hand, teasing her parted folds lightly, watching in amusement as pleasure danced across her face and she fisted the sheets.

Teasing her for a few more seconds, suddenly he entered her, trying to contain his moans as best as he could. He could see that she was fighting the same battle as he rocked into her, slowly at first, then increasing his speed with every whimper she let out.

Latching onto her hip to get a better grip, he nudged her leg up into a bent position with his knee to hit her g-spot at a better angle. The new spot in her he was reaching due to the change in position made her want to cry out almost immediately, but she bit down onto her clenched fist instead, muffling her sound.

He wanted to hear her though, or feel her moans at least, so he turned her face up and towards him, enclosing her mouth with his, letting her tongue linger over every nook and cranny of his mouth.

As his thrusts became more powerful, ramming up into her, her grip on the sheets grew tighter until she was sure they would rip apart underneath her fingertips. Grunting out with every thrust, Bass could feel her second orgasm of the night approaching.

Pulling his mouth back just enough to whisper, "cum for me Charlotte," as his hand that was previously on her hip went to rub at her clit, throwing her overboard as she took his mouth back into hers and bit down on his lower lip.

Coming down off of her high, he moaned out softly when he felt himself getting dangerously close, "Charlie…can I?"

She nodded, kissing his lips, "I love the way you feel when you explode all of your juices inside of me," she panted in response.

Hell, that was it for Bass, he couldn't have pulled out then if he wanted to. With one last primal grunt and force of his hips into hers, he came apart, biting down on her shoulder to stifle his moans.

He let his forehead rest against her shoulder blade, limp dick still inside of her until he could move again and pull out. Finding his boxers he discarded on the ground, he pulled them back up as he tossed Charlie her shorts, "I may not be scared of Rachel, but that doesn't mean I want to tempt fate anymore than necessary."

She laughed when he said he wasn't scared of Rachel, and patted the bed for him to lie back down. Pulling the covers tightly around both of them, she nestled herself into his side as he lay on his back.

Careful of her injury, she laid it against his chest, as his hand stroked her other arm. He laid a soft kiss on the side of her head, lips lingering there for a few moments before Charlie whispered, "don't you love family Christmas traditions."

His quiet laughter shook her whole body, "I do if they all include this."


	15. Drunken Christmas Carols

The feel of Bass' warm body pressed up against hers mixed with the lulling sound of him breathing in and out was not encouraging Charlie to leave the comforts of the bed, but she had been awake for almost an hour, just listening to the beating of his heart. Her obnoxious stomach rumbling was the only reason she contemplated getting up out of bed in the first place, she couldn't move a fraction of an inch without his arms tightening around her body as his head burrowed further into the crevice of her neck.

Sighing internally, she closed her eyes tight in an attempt to fall back asleep, pointless because as soon as she did she heard the door opening gently to reveal her mother standing before her.

Rachel hardly ever looked out of place, awkward, almost nervous, but peering at her daughter, cuddled up with Sebastian Monroe, there was no hiding her nervousness.

She went to open her mouth, but snapped it shut when Charlie put a finger to her lips, eyes darting to Bass' still sound asleep, snoring form.

Peeling herself as gently as she could from the comforts of his body, she tried not to roll her eyes at Rachel's turned back, as if to give Charlie privacy to clothe herself.

Tip toeing lightly across the room; she closed the door quietly behind her, nudging her mother out in the process. She crossed her arms over her chest, "look if you're here to fight with me some more then at least let me eat first. I don't think I'd be much fun to belittle and condescend if I'm wasting away."

Ignoring all the jabs Charlie was throwing Rachel fidgeting nervously with her fingers before looking up at Charlie, "actually I just wanted to talk to you…to apologize, let's go somewhere else to talk."

Charlie didn't get a chance to say 'yes' or 'no' before Rachel took off in the direction of the attic. Following soundlessly, Charlie thought about the last time she had been in the attic when she convinced Danny it was haunted as a kid and tried to lock him. The doorknob ended up breaking and trapped both of them there for an hour until Ben came in and saved them.

She hadn't even gone up there to get the Christmas decorations out, Rachel had already set them aside for her when she let her know the plans.

So she had no idea why they were going there, but nevertheless she still followed her mother, crossing the threshold when she opened up the door.

"I just want to show you some things," Rachel said, digging around the room until she came across a small box that was out of plain sight, but found by Rachel instantly. The attic was still as cluttered and disorganized as Charlie remembered but Rachel seemed to know exactly where it was.

Turning to face Charlie, she reached out the box towards her, waiting until she grasped it in her hand before she sat down on one of the small wooden chairs, made by Charlie's grandfather.

Mimicking her position, Charlie sat down in the other chair across from her, letting the box rest on her knees until curiosity got the better of her and she opened the box.

Charlie's eyes widened in surprise when she took in the contents of the box. Filled to the brim were pictures, all pictures, of her mom and Miles.

Some of them when they were younger, some newer ones, but the one consistent thing about all of the pictures was the fact that they looked genuinely happy.

Miles had that rare smile Charlie had only ever seen occasionally on his face, in every single one of these photos. And her mother, her mother was glowing. They looked like they were in love.

Charlie had seen pictures of her mom and dad many times, and they looked happy yes, they looked like they looked each other as well, but they never looked like this.

She was so caught up in trying to figure out the memories behind these pictures that she forgot Rachel was still in the room.

Charlie's eyes snapped up to meet her mother's when she started speaking, "I packed these pictures away awhile ago because I thought I could use it like Pandora's box and lock everything inside of it. I thought that would make things easier, like I could place all my feelings alongside these pictures in a box."

Sorrow overcame her features and the tone in her voice. Picking her chair up, she moved it to sit side by side with Charlie looking over at the picture in her hand.

Rachel smiled down as she pointed to the picture, "that's one of the first times I met Miles, it was during the Christmas holidays. I thought he was just this cocky, arrogant, and conceited asshole with good hair," she laughed at the memories, "I still think that. But the one thing that I wanted to do that year was to go horseback riding in the snow; I've always loved horses since I was a little girl. Ben loves animals, but he hurt his leg earlier, so I was fine with just admiring them at the Christmas farm we visited, but he insisted that Miles would be willing to take me. I said no…a bunch of times. It's hard to tell Ben 'no' when he has his mind set on something, so eventually I just gave in and we went riding. He was supposed to take me down a designated path, but you know Miles," she looked at Charlie with a warm smile, "never was one for the rules, that's how we ended up way off the beaten path, in this secluded, dark part of the forest. I was convinced he was just doing this to be a jerk because it was cold, dark and he knew that I didn't like him that much…I was thoroughly wrong," shaking her head she looked back down at the picture and continued, "he took me on top of a hill and below was a little town all light up with white lights. The whole town was twinkling and glimmering; it looked like something out of a hallmark movie…just magical. I don't know how long I sat there; just staring off into the town, taking it all in, before I realized Miles was looking curiously at me with a grin from one ear to the other. Any other time that grin would've pissed me off, but I smiled because I could see something sincere in his eyes," she looked sadly back up at Charlie who was smiling as she pictured it, "anyway we went back shortly afterward and I didn't hear from Miles again for the longest time, but Ben, your father, was always around. Eventually I grew to love him, just in a different kind of way. I loved Ben, I still love Ben, but sitting up there on that hill with Miles…there's almost nothing that could compare to how I felt that day. Not until you and Danny were born."

That shocked Charlie; even though she knew her mother loved them she wasn't one to say it often. Rachel was a tough nut to crack, she hardly ever let her true feelings show, but Charlie could understand why she didn't because she was the same way.

Covering Charlie's hand that was clutching the picture, Rachel looked at her in the eyes, "I don't dislike Bass at all, in fact he's always been a good friend to me…but I see so much of Miles in him. When I didn't hear from Miles after that night, I was devastated because I honestly thought that he felt the same way I did. I just learned that he wasn't one to settle down, and that's what I've always wanted. That's why it hit me so hard last night when you dropped that bomb on me, I could see that memory in my mind and feel the heartache all over again, for you this time. Things that start out so good, but then slowly die out…that's one of the worst feelings to experience. I know I don't know how Bass feels, but I know how similar he is to Miles, and I know how invested you are in this relationship. I can see it in your eyes, the same look that was in my eyes. I guess I thought that maybe I could stop you from feeling the sting that I had to go through when I realized we wanted two totally different things at the time."

For the first time in forever, she could hear the sincerity in her mother's voice, feel the empathy, and as bad as they fought, in this moment she wasn't questioning her mother's intentions. Rachel could've gone about it in a different way, but when Charlie got a good look at her mother all she could see was sorrow and heartache.

Rachel was honestly just trying to say anything she could to stop Charlie from feeling how she felt, not matter if that meant she had to be the bad guy or not. She was willing to do whatever it took, that's what it meant to be a mother.

"Bass is a lot like Miles used to be, I can see that, but even Miles isn't like that anymore. I'm not going to deny that they weren't ever like that, because you know their past selves better than I do, but I know their present selves better. You told me this story and the whole time your face just lit up, except for that one part, but even then it was a bittersweet kind of smile. Like it was a bad experience, but it was worth every minute of the heartache you felt…that's the kind of experience I want. If the relationship goes to hell in a hand basket, I want to be able to look back on it and feel the way you do right now. I'm just asking for this chance, and if it crashes and burns, well I'll grab some marshmallows and roast them on the fire," she laughed lightly, looking down at her arm.

Rachel smiled at Charlie's speech, squeezing her hand lightly, "when did you get to be so wise?"

The corner of Charlie's mouth curved up into a smile, "honestly, it was all Bass and Miles. They may give shitty advice sober, but their drunken advice is on some other philosophical level."

At this Rachel couldn't help the laughter that escape her lips, "that sounds like them. You don't have to ask me for a chance Charlie, I'm your mother, there's nothing you could do that would ever make me love you less."

Placing two fingers underneath Charlie's chin, she titled her head up to get a closer look at her, "you know I admire you," Charlie looked at her curiously, "because you're so brave. You put your heart on the line and risked everything, and I have a feeling you would've done it even if you thought it were going to end badly. I wish I had that kind of strength."

Letting her hand fall back at her side, she got up from the chair and took the box, carefully setting it down in its home.

Charlie spoke up from where she was still leaning against the back of the chair, "do you regret it?" When Rachel turned around and didn't answer she finished the rest of her train of thought, "do you regret not calling up Miles or going to talk to him after that night? Do you wish you would've done something instead of just being scared?"

Rachel stiffened at that word because she knew that Charlie was being brutally honest, but she was right, she had been scared. She was afraid of putting herself on the line when she knew that she loved Ben, in a different way, and he was a safe bet.

Gambling and risk taking was never her thing, which is why even with love she took the most logical part. Sighing she stood there silent for a moment before she could figure out an answer, "yes and no. I don't regret anything that came after that, I don't regret marrying him, you or Danny, and I don't regret spending all of these years with him because I really do love him…but I regret not seeing where that path would've taken me in life. I regret not ever having that indescribable feeling again."

"You know it's not too late right?" Rachel's eyebrows kinked up at Charlie's sudden proclamation, "I don't want you and dad to split up, but I love you both enough to want you to be happy. You deserve to feel that way again, even if it is with Miles. That's the way I feel with Bass," her voice grew soft at the end, "that indescribable feeling…and I wouldn't trade it for a safe bet. Whatever road you're on, there's always time to change the path you're on."

Visibly gulping, Charlie could see that Rachel was trying to hold back the tears, as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders and rubbed her arms, "just make sure you take care of Bass…he's been through a lot, but somehow I think you've already filled every broken crack he has."

That was the last words uttered out of Rachel's mouth as she went out of the attic, not bothering to look if Charlie came out or not, she figured she had a lot of thinking to do.

She stayed a few more minutes before she closed the door behind her, locking in the whole conversation that took place in that room, and heading back to her bed.

Go figure, Bass was still snoring lightly when she entered the room, he could sleep through anything after sex, but any other time he was on full alert. She smiled at the way his curls were matted in some places, and smoothed down in others, and the muscles on his back tightened when he inhaled.

Without another moments thought, Charlie slid back underneath the covers, careful not to touch her cold feet against his, as she leaned over and let kisses along his shoulder blades and up to his neck.

After a few minutes and she had made it to his chin, she could see in her peripheral that his eyelids had fluttered up to the sensation of her mouth against his skin. She rubbed her cheek against the scratchy stubble on his face, kissing his cheek and letting her lips linger there until his hands shot out from under the covers and pulled her lips to his.

Softly moving his mouth against hers, he trailed his hand from her face to wrap around her waist and draw her body into his, moaning when her knee grazed his painfully obvious morning wood.

Pulling back slightly, he kept his eyes shut as his nose caressed the side of her face, "well this is a good way to wake up, I wouldn't mind waking up like this everyday," he chuckled.

Charlie on the other hand didn't laugh when she said, "me too," the sincerity in her voice causing Bass' eyes to shoot open and widen in surprise before he growled and slammed his mouth back on hers, moving more forcefully this time.

Within minutes her stomach started to grumble, she laughed as Bass whined, "food? At a time like this?"

"Well some of us have been awake for hours, lazy," she teased.

Nipping at her earlobe, he moved his mouth to whisper in her ear, reveling in the way her body shuddered as his warm breath tickled against her skin, "I have some other methods of curing your appetite."

"Mmm…that sounds like a very tempting offer," she trailed her fingers down his chest "as tempting as that is I'm going to have to pass," she laughed as she pulled away from him and stood up on the far side of the bed where she knew he would be too lazy to chase her too.

And of course she was right, he fell back against the pillows, covering his eyes with one arm and pouted, "fine if food is more important to you…"

When he trailed off he looked up to find that she was already out of the door, chuckling as she walked down the stairs, he just smiled, peeling the covers away from his body.

He found his t-shirt, and quickly pulled it over his head as he followed the path she had taken towards the kitchen, finding her sitting on top of the counter, cereal in hand.

"You left me for a bowl captain crunch cereal?" He placed his hand over his heart in mock hurt.

Not even bothering to look up at him when he entered she continued stuffing spoonfuls of cereal in her mouth, taking a break from chewing to respond, "this is Christmas captain crunch, it's limited edition."

Bass snorted as he approached where she was sitting, taking the spoon out of her hand and shoveling some into his mouth. Immediately he scrunched up his face in disgust before forcing himself to swallow, "ew Charlie, it's stale."

Charlie laughed, yanking the spoon back out of his hand and continuing on eating her stale cereal, "well it was either grin and bare the stale cereal…or let mom cook breakfast. I chose the lesser of the two evils."

Bass shuddered when she mentioned Rachel's cooking. That woman was a genius and could do many things, but cooking was not one of those things. He looked back up at her, trying to gauge her emotions when she talked about her mother this morning.

She seemed a lot less angry, which he was glad for, but he was also curious what brought about that change seemingly overnight.

He felt a light shove against his chest that took him by surprise and caused him to step back a few steps before looking up at a grinning Charlie, "what are you thinking about so hard?"

Smirking, he strode towards her slowly, watching as her body sat straight up, preparing for an attack. Tentatively he reached out and ran his finger along her cheek, before trailing down her neck, using his hand to get a grip and draw her face in until it was inches away from his own, "I'm thinking that my idea of a meal would've tasted a lot better than either of those."

He almost groaned when she intentionally darted her tongue out to wet her lips, "hmm is that so?"

Barely pressing his lips against hers, he pulled back instantly when he heard Miles exclaim from the doorway, turning around to see his brother, eyes covered in disgust and dramatically turning around, "oh come on…I get that we're all cool with this whole thing but that doesn't mean I want to see it. I think I just lost my appetite."

Pulling away and moving to stand at her side, Bass laughed as Miles turned back around, less than thrilled with their public displays of affection, "hope you don't have too much of an appetite anyway. Your choices are Charlie's stale cereal or Rachel's cooking."

"Hey my cooking isn't that terrible…right Charlie?"

Looking up from her bowl, she could see that her mother was expecting some backup, so all Charlie did was look away and shove the rest of the cereal into her mouth to mutter something incomprehensible.

Bass and Miles broke out into a fit of laughter, "sorry Rachel, it seems the jury has spoken."

Ignoring their comments, Rachel looked at Charlie again with a sad smile on her face, "your father said he would see us later at the twins' Christmas play."

No one else knew what Rachel meant by that, but Charlie did. She knew that meant her mother had finally chosen not to take the safe route, even if it meant hurting some people at the moment.

Charlie knew that it would be better for everyone in the long run if she took a chance and allowed herself to feel happy. Be it with Miles or just by herself, she deserved to be happy. And Ben deserved to be happy as well, playing second fiddle to anyone is not the way to live your life.

Sometimes even if you love someone, that doesn't mean that you are in love with them. You can't force what isn't there and you shouldn't try. Life is too short to be miserable, especially when the problem is something you've created for yourself and also something you can fix.

Nodding her head she smiled, letting her mother know she understood her decision, as she hopped down from the counter and placed her bowl in the sink to wash.

"What time is the Christmas play?" Miles blurted out, looking expectantly to Rachel, who seemed a bit confused at the question.

"It's at 8."

"Do you want to go somewhere?" Again she couldn't hide the shock from her face when she looked over to see that he was asking her specifically. He must've read between the lines earlier because he made it clear that he wasn't going to sneak around anymore.

Hesitantly she nodded her head before looking over to Charlie, "yeah I uhh…I guess that's alright. We can do presents later when Ben comes home after the play."

Looking over at Bass, Miles groaned before adding, "hell I guess we can all go…only if you two promise to keep your hands to yourself," he pointed an accusatory finger in their direction.

Charlie held her hands up silently while Bass just chuckled, "no promises."

One stern look from Miles shut him right up and he copied Charlie's sign of surrender and zipped his lips shut.

"Right. Okay then, I have something to show you guys, it's not far so we should be able to drive by now."

Leaving the kitchen unexpectedly, Rachel followed behind him, grabbing her coat and scarf on the way out the door. She placed a note on the table by the door for Danny when he woke up, but with the way he slept, she doubted he would even be awake by the time they got back.

Bass and Charlie took a little longer because both of them had to put on thicker pants if they were going outside, along with scarves and coats.

Miles was outside dusting the snow off of the car when they came outside to see that he had already shoveled a path out of the driveway, probably sometime earlier in the morning. He had been planning this for a little while apparently.

None of them spoke as they gathered into the car, falling into a semi comfortable silence as Miles drove them to the unknown destination.

True to his word, they had only gone 15 minutes from the house before he pulled the car over at an almost hidden entrance of a pathway that vanished into the trees. Bass' eyes lit up from the backseat as he leaned forward, "seriously Miles…this is where you took us?"

Rachel looked back at Bass, "where is 'this' exactly?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember this place Rachel, we came out here all the time. This is where we had that bonfire before Christmas one year." Bass started laughing, "you got so drunk off of spiked hot chocolate that you went around singing Christmas carols and calling yourself Mrs. Claus."

A blush crept across Rachel's face as she turned back around, "I don't remember that."

Miles just laughed, turning the car off, hand on the door, "you wouldn't remember it…I'm pretty sure you drank enough to knock me on my ass, and I can handle alcohol better than you can."

Bass was so giddy about being there, that as soon as Miles got out of the car, he tagged along, leaving Charlie and Rachel behind who were slowly making their way out of the car and over to the path.

They followed Miles and Bass, listening to them exchange more stories before Bass turned around to Charlie, "this was a tradition of ours, we would gather friends before the holidays and have a bonfire. I can't believe I forgot about this…man, it's been so many years since I've been out here." His voice trailed off into nostalgia at the end as he looked around, taking in the sight.

Charlie could see Rachel smile out of the corner of her eye, obviously reflecting back on the memories so she couldn't have been drunk every time they were there.

All Charlie could do was follow and smile as she watched Miles and Bass' faces glow with excitement. She loved to see them so excited and happy, to see them smile a real smile, even Rachel looked excited.

In the middle of the woods she could see where the snow had been dug out to make room for a small fire pit, surrounded by logs to sit on.

Off to the side was a small log cabin house, when Bass caught her looking at it he smiled, "that was Jeremy's grandfather's getaway…used to let us have wild parties out here. Even joined in a few times, he was as crazy as Jeremy."

This surprised Charlie for some reason, "Jeremy, as in Captain Baker? I thought he was the typical, clean cut, law enforcement employee."

At that statement all of them started laughing, Miles caught his breath before shaking his head, "shit no, I'm surprised they even allowed him to enter the police station. He had a rap sheet a mile long, honestly I have no idea how he got that job."

Bass laughed, "probably figured they'd just follow him when he got wind of shit going down and eventually he just started pretending he was there to break things up instead of joining."

Rachel had stopped laughing when Miles went over to the vacant house and plugged in the white lights draped across the house. Almost every inch of the house was covered in lights.

They way the sparkled reminded her of the town covered in lights. He looked over at her and grinned sheepishly, "it was gone, either that or they didn't decorate this year, but I figured this was close enough."

He shrugged his shoulders trying to play it off, but no one was buying his act, hell he wasn't even buying his act. This was a big deal for Miles. The only other person he decorated and even tried to 'Christmas' for was Charlie, and everyone knew how much she meant to him.

Plus now that Charlie knew the story behind the town filled with Christmas lights and the horseback riding adventure, she took this as a sign that he was trying to make up for how he acted.

Even further than that, Charlie could see that this was his version of Bass' ice skating ring. It was him putting himself out there and putting his heart on the line. And Charlie was never happier to be apart of something than she was now. She only hoped her dad was this happy, but she had no doubt he was.

What looked like a tear escaped Rachel's eyes, but she brushed it away before anyone saw and swallowed back the dam threatening to burst, "this is beautiful Miles. Old traditions," she wrapped her arm around Charlie, "with new people we can pass it along to."

Charlie leaned into her mother's hug, as she placed her head on Rachel's shoulder, admiring the view.

Miles, who ordinarily wasn't good at emotional or sappy moments, looked like he was actually experiencing some of those feelings as well. Shaking his head, he produced a small bottle of whiskey from inside of his coat pocket, "you can pass along your tradition of drunken Christmas caroling…which by the way, is worse than regular Christmas caroling. At least that's in tune and there are words."

Narrowing her eyes in Miles' direction, Rachel repressed the urge to childishly stick her tongue out at him, "you keep saying that, but I think I would remember that. I wasn't that drunk."

"Dude you were legitimately convinced you were Mrs. Claus. Kept telling us about your life at the North Pole with Santa, and which reindeer was your favorite and why," Bass snorted from behind them.

Miles doubled over in a fit of laughter, clutching at his sides as Rachel kicked some snow up at him, barely missing his face.

Bass took it upon himself to get the fire started before it erupted into an all out snowball fight; he wasn't equipped for that right now.

Not wanting to get caught up in between Rachel and Miles' play fighting, Charlie made her way over to where Bass was bent over the fire logs. She took in the view from behind, admiring the curve of his ass even covered up. He knew that she was checking him out; he could feel her eyes on him.

He smiled and turned around, raising his eyebrows after he got one of the logs lit, "are you just going to stare at me all day?"

"Not like I have anything better to look at right now," Charlie looked around bored as Bass quickly advanced in her direction and snatching her by the waist before she could even take a step back.

"You can admire the view anytime you want…it's all yours."

Charlie smiled before leaning in to kiss him gently on the lips, leaving her arms wound loosely around his shoulders. _Hers._ That had a nice ring to it and made her feel like she was the most important person in the world, and to Bass, she was.

Miles yelled, "seriously, I turn my back for a few minutes and this is what happens? I swear you're worse than a teenager…can't leave you alone for a second."

Going to pull back, Charlie tightened her grip on Bass. This time instead of letting his go, she moved one arm behind her to proudly display her middle finger in Miles' direction, before shifting her body back to Bass, kissing him two more times before she finally pulled back smiling.

Miles walked over to where they were, "Jesus, I'm not drunk enough for this right now."

He sat down on some of the logs around the fire pit, taking a swig out of the bottle before passing it to Bass, continuing to go in a clockwise pattern until it made it around to Rachel.

She wasn't much of a drinker, not that Charlie had ever seen or known of, so she was a bit shocked to see her mother turning the bottle upside down and gulping it down like it was water.

Looking around, she realized she was the only surprised by this. She decided not to bring it up or question it when the bottle made it around for the second time, just enjoying listening to their stories as she rested her head against Bass' body.

By the time the bottle had made it around the circle the fifth time, everyone was sufficiently buzzed, except Rachel who was bordering on being drunk.

"Charlie you'll ssssing with me won't you?" She slurred out most of the words, but Charlie could still mostly comprehend what she was saying, despite being tipsy herself.

"Nah…I think I'll skip this one and let you have a solo. It's your moment to shine mom."

"Pleassseee, I'll even start the song and you can bring it home," Rachel cleared her throat before letting out the worst sound Charlie has even heard. It sounded like a mix between an animal dying and Chewbacca, "on the 12th day of Christmas my…fuck…who gave me a gift again?"

"My true love gave to me," Bass supplied some of the words to her as she nodded her head like she knew that all along.

"My true love gave to me 12…"

"Drummers drumming," Charlie snickered as she watched Rachel's face bunch up into a scowl, "and I think you're supposed to start at one before 12."

"That's a dumb gift to give to someone…and you two complain about my singing. I can't make this song any worse."

Miles rolled his eyes and tried to mutter under his breath, "I don't think the lyrics are the problem, pretty sure it's your voice that's butchering the song."

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest as she pouted, swaying backwards lightly before she bobbed her head from side to side, "this wouldn't happen in the North Pole…I'm the boss there, all the reindeers like my signing."

A chain of laughter started with Miles and made its way around all the way to Rachel herself who didn't seem to grasp they were laughing, more at her than with her. She didn't seem to mind as she finished off the rest of the bottle, "okay who's ready for another song?"

All three of them groaned simultaneously, but this time she didn't acknowledge their protests as she screeched out another song, skipping the 12 days of Christmas because she declared it "too hard to count all the way to 12 and remember stupid things like maids a milking."


	16. Ugly Christmas Sweater Strikes Back

After what felt like countless hours of Rachel's butchering renditions of once cheerful holiday songs, she had finally sobered up enough after Miles of all people, cut her off, reminded her they had to go to the twins' Christmas play shortly.

They couldn't show up drunk to a children's church play reenacting the scene of Jesus' birth, especially when Bass already screwed up one nativity scene by beheading a wise man. This would be strike two against them if they showed up drunk.

Lucky for them though, Bass and Charlie had stopped drinking ages ago enjoying the drunken banter between Miles and Rachel. Charlie had never seen this side of her mother before, but she liked it.

Rachel was carefree, fun, maybe a little annoying at times but that mostly had to do with her singing. She was an awful singer sober, but drunk she was even worse because there was nothing holding her back.

Looking around one last time, Charlie took in all of the scenery. The way the fire glowed in the beginning, but was now morphing into a low burning flame, the way the snow had been steadily falling when they arrived, but now tapered off into just a sprinkle every now and again.

It was like everything that had once started out so great was dying out. But not her and Bass.

She looked over at him only to find that he was intently gazing at her the entire time, the same passion she saw in his eyes the first time he said he loved her, still there. Everything declined, but the love Bass had for Charlie only seemed to intensify every time he looked at her.

That set Charlie's soul on fire. She had to look away, grinning from ear to ear, just to catch the breath stolen from her. There was never a time when she looked at Bass that he didn't take her breath away. It could be something innocent as just a simple look that would send a spark right to Charlie's core. That's how she knew she was a goner, when something intended to be little and innocent, magnified without intention.

Caught up in her own mind, she didn't even notice that Miles and Rachel had already started walking to the car, hand in hand. She couldn't help but smile at the sentiment, since Miles wasn't one for obvious displays of affection; hell he was barely a handshake kinda guy.

Dangling the keys in front of her face, Charlie's head snapped up to Bass' who was standing before her, wearing an amused expression as he extended a hand out in her direction.

Despite the fact that she was clearly sober enough to walk on her own, Bass couldn't resist touching Charlie in some way, even if it was just holding her hand in between his.

They followed Miles and Rachel, hand in hand, towards the car only to find that they were both passed out asleep in the back seat, curled up in each other's embrace.

That didn't surprise Charlie. She had seen her uncle many times in the exact same position, one time when the other person was Bass.

Miles got a lot friendlier and touchy when he had alcohol in his system. Other than that he was pretty reserved, except for with Charlie. It was always easy for him to be close to her, she was just a warm, welcoming person. It was hard for anyone not to feel connected to Charlie.

The drive to the church was about 30 minutes with Bass was taking his time, allowing them as much time as he could to get a catnap in. He knew that drinking always made Miles tired, but it was his own fault for getting himself drunk before the play.

The whole time Bass drove, neither he nor Charlie said anything; the only communication that flowed between the two of them was from the electricity flowing between their interlocked hands.

Eventually she closed her eyes for a few minutes and laid her head softly against his arm that rested on the middle console.

Riding in a warm car, listening to the sound of the tires hum against the pavement always made Charlie go to sleep, even as a hyperactive child. On trips, as soon as she got in the car and they got going down the road a little bit, she nodded off and was asleep in an instant.

She was convinced that had to do with the fact as a baby, Rachel used to drive her around in the car to give Ben some peace and quiet from her crying, and he would do the same. Not that either of them minded hearing her, but it gave them alone time with Charlie and they found out fast that it put her to sleep.

When the car cut off though, Charlie could hear it and it jarred her out of her slumber. The heat dwindled and the roar of the car was replaced by the deafening silence.

Raising her head off of Bass' arm she looked up to see that he was smiling warmly at her, the kind of smile that Charlie loved to see on his face.

She turned her head to see that both Miles and Rachel were still asleep, but had somehow shifted in their sleep so that Rachel was now against his side, and Miles head was leaning against the window.

Bass chuckled as he reached a hand out and swatted at Miles' knee, "get up dick we're here."

Miles shot up out of his seat a bit and groaned, keeping his eyes shut tightly.

Rachel's eyelids fluttered open as she looked around at her surroundings, a bit confused on how she got there. She yawned, stretching her arms out, "that's the last time I let you guys take me anywhere. Why is it that I am always the one who ends up the drunkest, passed out in the backseat of someone's car?"

At that statement, Charlie laughed, trying to picture other instances where her mother would've been the first to pass out drunk and wind up in someone's car. That was both amusing and terrifying, but mostly amusing because she was positive that neither Bass nor Miles would've ever let anything happen to her.

They may have drunk a lot, but they were always on alert, it was their nature.

Leaving them to fend for themselves, Charlie embraced the cold, bundling herself up in the scarf she left in the car while they were on their outing.

She barely made it two steps when Bass called out to her in a whiny voice, "hey…wait for me. Don't leave me with them."

Tossing her head back in laughter, she rolled her eyes, but slowed her pace down so he could catch up and slip his arm around her waist. She leaned against his side, submerging herself in his warmth and smell as he dropped a kiss to the side of her head.

She didn't look back to see if Miles and Rachel were coming, but she assumed they would make it there…eventually.

The church looked more extravagant in the nighttime with all of the Christmas lights adorning the outer frame. She had only ever been here a few times, her parents weren't really religious people but they brought the kids there for Christmas and Halloween.

Eventually they stopped coming at Halloween because they were too old, and for awhile they didn't come at Christmas time anymore either because they lost interest in it.

It was nice to be back and visiting, especially to see the twins' in the same play that Charlie had once been in when she was younger, of course it wasn't necessarily willing on Charlie's part.

"Don't hurt yourself thinking so hard over there," Bass commented at her side as they entered the church doors, no doubt mocking the many times she said the same thing to him.

She made a face at him, "I was just thinking about the time I was in the Christmas play one year. I think that was the same year Danny was in it."

Bass' eyebrows rose in curiosity, "oh really? What role did you play, the Virgin Mary?"

Cheekily grinning up at him she shook her head, "are you implying that you think I'm the virginal type? I would think you of all people know better."

If anything, Charlie was always bluntly honesty.

Bass responded with sincerity in his voice, "actually I was just thinking that the Virgin Mary is kind of angelic and sweet, and that's how I see you…my angel."

That thought hadn't even crossed her mind, she was just always worried he thought of her as too young and innocent so she immediately went on the defense.

"That was actually really sweet…sure…let's go with that then, I was the Virgin Mary."

She sat down on the pew next to Aaron and Priscilla, sticking her tongue out at Danny on the other end of the pew. Bass didn't have time to ask anything else, but he wasn't buying her story and would get to the bottom of it by the end of the night.

Miles and Rachel finally decided to grace them with their presence, not holding hands this time in order to respect Ben who actually showed up with Maggie, the woman Charlie had seen him with once before.

Looking over at her father, Charlie's heart warmed as she saw the smile on his face as he was talking to Maggie, pointing out the twins' on stage.

She knew her father well enough to know that he would never cheat on Rachel, but it was obvious he and Maggie had grown close over time, and he probably didn't even realize himself that he had fallen in love with her, and out of love with Rachel.

Rachel and Ben would always have a love for one another, but sometimes people grow apart and it isn't anyone's fault. It's just something that happened, and even though Rachel might've went about things the wrong way, Ben seemed to be ok with everything, apparent by the head nod in Miles' direction when he sat down next to Bass in the pew.

What would've looked like a messed up family to everyone else was a perfect family in Charlie's eyes. A family that had been through a lot of hardships, but they never lost trust or faith in one another.

Rachel leaned across Miles to get Charlie's attention, beaming as she looked between the stage and Charlie, "remember when you were up there?"

Charlie nodded her head tersely, hoping that Rachel wouldn't bring up the role she played, but she should've known better.

Rachel was always a proud mother of anything her kids did, even if it seemed small or insignificant, "You made such a cute sheep."

With that Bass couldn't contain spitting out a laugh, clutching his side when Charlie promptly elbowed him, partially because it was starting and partially because she didn't find it funny.

Leaning over to whisper in her ear, still quietly chuckling, "oh you are so baaaaad."

If looks could kill, Bass would've dropped dead on the spot, Charlie was not amused. It's not like she hadn't heard it all and been teased about it enough.

Bass however was unphased by her glares, if anything, it only made him smile more, trying to picture her as a cute little sheep, "fleece Navidad…okay okay I'll stop now. Don't herd me."

She turned to face the front, eyes glued on the play, trying not to let Bass see that she was secretly smiling at his lame jokes.

Unfortunately he had captured Miles' attention, the same uncle Miles who was the one that teased Charlie relentlessly about it growing up once he found out, "Baaaaass, sheep jokes…really? Shame on ewe."

Even Rachel couldn't help but crack up at the jokes flowing freely between the two of time, neither one of them paying attention to the play, until Charlie finally turned to both of them and delivered an icy cold glare.

Miles immediately snapped his mouth shut, faking intent interest in the play, while Bass just continued to smile at Charlie, he knew that she honestly wasn't mad. In fact, he knew that she was laughing on the inside, but he pretended to concede and divert his attention to the children.

Halfway through the play Rachel whispered to the three of them, "look at those wise men so innocent looking with their perfect heads still attached to their bodies," she sighed dramatically.

Bass groaned lowly, "That was one time, I said I was sorry…are you ever going to let it go?"

Charlie, Rachel, and Miles all answered "hell no," while Bass simply fake pouted in his seat.

Comfortingly, Charlie patted his knee, as he reached out to cover her hand with his own, keeping her hand locked in place, loving the feel of affection spreading through his body at the simple contact between the two of them.

Miles on the other hand snapped, "no funny business you two. We're in a church for Christ sake."

"You're gonna give yourself an aneurism old man," Charlie commented drily.

Aaron glowered at them, "if you four don't hush when the twins come on I will not hesitate to call the pastor over here and get you thrown out…of church."

"They're going to be playing angels who don't even have lines Aaron."

"Baaaa-humbug, you're just jealous because you were a sheep."

At that Charlie crossed her arms over her chest, sulking while Aaron looked satisfied with his method of shutting her up. Even Bass reached over in an attempt to high five him, but Charlie pulled his hand down before they could make a connection. Both of them silently snickering at her reaction.

The play was a success for the most part, the only snag had been when baby Jesus started crying towards the end and all of the kids looked 110% done with listening to him cry, clearly he did that in the practices as well.

Charlie hadn't been used to babies crying, she hadn't been exposed to that since Danny was little, and the very few times she watched the twins. Other than that, she was never around crying babies, and Danny didn't cry much as a baby. He was mostly quietly, too quiet actually.

While she was watching the end of the play, her mind started to wander in the direction of babies. She glanced over at Bass, who was smiling at the kids on stage. She had always been told that he liked kids, but to see it for herself was different. She was starting to wonder, did she like kids? Did she want kids? And just because Bass liked kids didn't mean that he would ever actually want any.

All of these thoughts seemed irrelevant at the time, why was she thinking about it all of the sudden, why was she getting herself worked up about a bridge they hadn't even crossed yet?

Worry visible on her face caused Bass to frown, but Charlie's mouth twitched up into a smile, and his expression relaxed.

Curtains being drawn alerted the audience that the play was over as everyone stood proudly to cheer for the children. All of their faces simply shined when they realized how proud their parents looked, except for a few kids who just looked bored and done with the whole Christmas thing in general.

Their expressions were hilarious and Charlie couldn't help but laugh, everyone else beside of her joining in when they realized what she was laughing at.

She understood those kids, this had been one of the best Christmases she had in a long time, but she would also be glad when the holidays were over and things could go back to semi normal.

Except that would mean that she would be going back to school, and Bass would be going back to work. It had been fun to kind of play house while she was on break, but now reality was coming back to rear its ugly head.

As Aaron and Priscilla went with Danny to collect the twins, Charlie headed over to where her dad was standing, enveloping him in a hug, "I'm so glad you guys came," she stuck out her hand towards Maggie, "it's nice to meet you, I'm Charlie."

Gingerly taking her hand with a big smile, Maggie shook it fiercely, "of course you are, I've heard so much about you that I could almost paint a picture of you just based off of the descriptions, although it wouldn't have done you justice."

Instantly taking a liking to Maggie she grinned, "Well thank you, I've got to say it's nice to see you both looking so happy. The holidays really have a way in bringing out the best in people."

"You and the holidays have that in common then…speaking of which, are you coming back to the house to open gifts tonight?"

Charlie casually glanced over to Bass who was joking around with Miles, she shook her head at her dad's question, "not tonight, I still have one more gift to give, and I'm beat. But first thing in the morning."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head, waving to Rachel and everyone as he exited with Maggie.

It may have seemed like everyone moved on from the whole instance quickly, but it had been a long time coming, and Charlie was honestly glad how smoothly everything transitioned, not awkward like she expected, no more awkward than everyone finding out she was sleeping with her uncle's, much older best friend.

Speaking of which, she made her way to Miles as Bass ruffled the twins' hair off to the side, "hey let Bass know that I left already. I have to get his gift ready."

Her innocent tone wasn't fooling Miles, he could see the devious look in her eyes as he groaned in disgust and gave her a gentle shove, "gross…get out of here, and refrain from dragging me into your sex life will you kid?"

Charlie laughed out loud, calling out to him as she walked out of the front door, "you have a dirty mind, no one said anything about sex. I just said a gift."

She threw one last wink in his direction, smiling in victory as his face contorted into one of even more disgust.

Excitement was coursing through her veins as she made her way to Bass' house, letting herself in because he never locked the front door, figuring that burglars would think that too obvious.

She couldn't contain her nerves as she made her way inside, her hands shaking as she carried in her bag from the car. She had no idea why she was so nervous, but it was almost thrilling.

Of course the thrill started to wear off as she sat on the edge of his bed, waiting to hear the front door squeak open. What felt like hours to her had actually only been a few minutes.

Bass left as soon as Miles spit out the word 'gift' not even pausing to tell anyone else goodbye before racing home. If he knew Charlie as well as he thought he did, this gift was sure to involve her glorious body, and that was a priceless gift he didn't intend on missing.

He was a little shocked to find his house in the same shape he left it in, dark and eerily quiet. He assumed she would make her presence known, but it was like she wasn't even there, which made Bass panic…that was until he saw her standing before him at the top of the stairs in all of her glory, wearing nothing but that damn, god awful, ugly ass, Christmas sweater.

Though the way she was wearing it made it the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Only Charlie could make that creepy ass Santa look appealing.

She blushed when he raked his eyes up and down her body, reveling in the fact that the sweater covered just enough, but exposed the right amount of leg to him.

"There's a lot I could've given you for Christmas, but I wanted to give you something that I could never give anyone else. So I'm giving you myself," she raised her arms out in a gesture, the sweater rising up just a bit before falling back down as she dropped her arms.

She waited for him to verbally respond, but his heart was so full at hearing those words that he his throat constricted, as he bounded the steps, two at a time, before gently cupping her face, rubbing his thumbs along her cheeks.

"Charlotte, this is the best, and most special gift that anyone has ever given me. No one has ever given me themselves completely, but you have from the moment you turned my world upside down, you just never said it in so many words. I never needed to hear you say it, shit I would've been content if you never said it, but now that you have, I can't describe how unbelievably happy that makes me feel. I've always known that you were mine, but hearing you vocalize it makes it feel real."

Charlie smiled up at him, grasping his forearms, "you're stealing my thunder over here. Think I can say one more thing without you erupting with joy?"

Bass laughed, nodding his head, "no promises, but I'll try."

The smile that was once on Charlie's face left, but it was still evident in her eyes as her voice lowered, "Bass, I love you."

Those three simple words that Charlie had a hard time saying to most people just tumbled out of her mouth, unfiltered, leaving herself shocked.

Bass on the other hand didn't look surprised at all, "I know."

Before she could pout that he was making it really difficult for her, he smashed his lips against hers in a fury neither of them knew he was capable of. The kiss was passionate, sexy, and filled with love at the same time.

He said that he knew, but secretly it made him feel much better to hear her say the words out loud. He would never get tired of hearing her say it, and tonight he was going to make her say it again…many, many times.

Arching her back, she molding her body against his, moaning when the sweater exposed her bare ass. Bass groaned in unison when he reached down and felt her naked ass in his palms, he didn't know how he got so lucky, but he was one lucky bastard.

Gripping her ass tightly in his hands, he lifted her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, hands diving into the soft curls at the base of his neck, playing with the strands.

He had forgotten about the fact that they were groping one another at the top of the staircase. He often got so wrapped up in Charlie, almost literally, that he forgot about everything else around him.

Finally realizing, he carried them to the bedroom, refraining from calling it just his room because since Charlie had been in it once already, it seemed like it was always hers.

Kicking the door with his foot, he let her fall gently on the bed, tugging his shirt over his head, focusing on himself since he was the one with more clothing to get rid of.

He went to work on the his belt, smirking as Charlie watched his every move from below him on the bed, propped up on her elbows. Unconsciously she licked her lips, causing Bass to speed up his removal of clothing until the only thing left between the two of them were his boxers, and her sweater.

Placing one hand at her side, and the other above her head, he held his weight off of her, until she all but pulled him on top of her, bolting her nails into his shoulder blades.

He placed hot, open mouth kisses on the side of her neck, stroking her bare legs underneath him, "you know you're the only person who could turn me on wearing this sweater, but it has to go. I can't be inside of you with scary Santa looking at me, that just feels wrong."

She couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up inside of her, "come on where is your sense of adventure…haven't you always wanted to have sex with someone watching?"

Wiggling her eyebrows she smirked, but he scrunched up his nose, peering back down at the offending sweater, "not Santa, I feel like I really will go to hell…or get put on the naughty list and not get any presents next year."

She purred in his ear, palming his hard on, "I can assure you that you'll get at least one present next year. And I'll give you one hint at what it is…I'm a particular fan of re-gifting and giving the same gifts."

At that Bass forgot all about the elephant, aka Santa, in the room, at least for a few minutes. He went back to rubbing the inside of her thighs, smirking against her neck when he hit that sensitive area and she bucked up to meet his hand.

He continued with his teasing and tormenting, enjoying playing with his gift, before he ripped the sweater over her head and threw it on the ground, attaching his mouth to one of her perfectly round, perky breasts. The other one he didn't forget or leave out, he squeezed the other one between his fingers, pinching lightly at her nipple, earning a squeak from her lips.

Teasing with his two gently probing fingers at her already soaking wet core, he whispered in her ear, "say it again Charlotte."

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, trying to form a coherent sentence, she panted, "I love you."

Drawing circles with his thumb on her clit he smirked, "say my name, Charlotte."

Groaning, she bucked her hips into his hands, frustrated when she came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to do anything until she did, "I love you, Bass."

Removing his fingers swiftly from her head, he gazed down at her hungrily before removing his boxers, discarding them with the sweater.

Taking his rigid member in his hand, he ran his length up and down her folds, making sure he was well lubricated and enjoying teasing her at the same time.

"Charlotte?"

She snapped at him, "what Bass?"

He laughed at her abrupt and annoyed tone, before plunging deep into her, grinning when her body arched off the bed, "I love you too."

She didn't respond with words, instead she looked up at him underneath her eyelashes, wrapping one leg around his waist, and keeping him halfway in a searing kiss.

He took his time, setting a slow pace, that for once, Charlie didn't bitch about. Mostly because he went back to sucking and nipping at her breasts, in between rubbing intensely at her clit.

She thought she would burst from all of the sensations she was feeling, just when she thought sex with Bass couldn't get better, she realized once she said 'I love you' changed everything, in a good way.

It was never just sex before, but now that they had both openly expressed their feelings, it felt like something totally new.

He switched from the left breast, to the right, repeating his ministrations on the right one. When Charlie's nails that were once digging in his back, went down to cup his ass, he rapidly grabbed them and locked them in place above her head.

Attempting to wiggle out of his hold was only making her wetter and not helping to free her hands, so she finally gave him, almost rolling her eyes when he smirked in triumph.

If she couldn't use her hands to explore his body, then she would use her mouth, licking a trail around the shell of his ear, to his chest muscles, swirling her tongue around his nipple.

Moaning, his grip on her hands slackened, and she quickly removed them, but continued her assault on his chest, loving the vibrations coming from his moans as they got louder with every thrust, telling her that he was close.

He already knew she was close; she had so much pent up sexual energy that when they finally did have sex, it didn't take her long to become putty in his hands.

Without even being prompted, the words slipped from Charlie's mouth, "I love you Sebastian," before her walls clenched tightly around his dick.

Her husky declaration of love sending a spark right to his balls, as his sperm forcefully shoved its way inside of her, coating her walls. He couldn't control it any longer. His hoarse voice penetrated her ear as his heart drummed loudly against hers, "I love you Charlotte."

When he could regain feeling in his body, and Charlie's legs began functioning again, he laid beside of her on the bed, her body fitting snugly in the cavern of his. For the second time that night he thought about how lucky he was to end up with someone like Charlie who was not only kind, smart, and funny, but she was one hell of a lover.

Opening his eyes he went to tell her something, but got distracted by the sweater, facing up, Santa looking at him, "okay I swear I threw that sweater face down, and now it's looking at me."

Charlie just laughed, letting her eyelids close softly, and after a few more minutes of staring cautiously at the sweater, Bass joined her. This was one Christmas holiday neither of them would ever forget, and for Bass, it had been the best one he had ever had.


	17. A Christmas Story

Forgetting that she was on break until after the first of the year, Charlie assumed that once Christmas was over time would fly by faster, but here she was, lounging on the couch, glancing anxiously at the clock as she tuned out the voices on the television.

She looked 30 minutes ago and it said 4 o'clock, and looking at it now…it said a whopping 4:07, "fuck," Charlie cursed out loud. Time was literally crawling and it was only the 30th of December, she still had until January 10th before she would be able to go back to her usual routine.

At least tomorrow was December 31st and Bass would be home earlier, maybe then time wouldn't seem to drag on and on.

Her hand scraped at the bottom of the bowl only to come up empty handed, she had eaten an entire bag of potato chips in one sitting, in under 10 minutes, she had to get up and get out of the house before she ate her way through a weeks worth of groceries in one day.

Dusting the crumbs off of her shirt, she bundled her blanket up and tossed it towards the edge of the couch, skimming the living room for the shoes she threw off in a hurry this morning. Her eyes narrowed in on them sitting by the front door, no doubt Bass' doing. He wasn't one to just leave things lying.

He was much more organized than Charlie was, hell he was even cleaner, not that she was messy, she just accumulated a lot of stuff over the past few months and hadn't taken the time to find a permanent home for most of it.

That and she still had Christmas decorations lying about that needed to be boxed up and stow away until next year. She pondered staying in for a little while longer and getting to work on some of that stuff on her running to-do list, but quickly dismissed all thoughts of being productive.

Slipping her shoes and coat on, she locked the door behind her and headed for her usual getaway spot, Miles' bar. It wasn't open until 2 PM, unless there was a special occasion, but Charlie knew he was always there, doing one thing or another.

She had only spent a little time there since she had been home, and even less time once she and Bass started hooking up, that took up most of the free time.

"Shit," she said out loud to herself when she realized her wallet was lying on Bass' bedside table at his house. Patting her back pocket, she was relieved to find her ID there, but nothing else. This going back and forth between places was starting to be a hassle.

The other day she left her scarf and gloves at her house, when she needed them at his place, which wasn't a big deal, but this was the third time something like that happened.

She went to call Bass to let him know she needed to stop by his place and pick up her wallet, but before she could press send she felt her car jerking. She groaned, she hadn't even made it that far from her apartment.

This was by far a new car, but it also wasn't an old beat up car either, it was a 2010 Honda civic and to the best of Charlie's knowledge, had never been in an accident and only had one other owner.

She got it in 2012 with only 63K miles on it and had never had a problem with it…until now of all times when she had nothing on her except for her ID, no cash, no money, nothing of value.

She opted to call Miles instead, letting out a sigh of relief when he answered on the third ring, not bothering to greet him, "my car is shaking, I was on the way to the bar to see you and all of the sudden it started, like, jerking."

"Ow, shit," Miles muttered under his breath, "did you try turning it off and turning it back on?"

That was the dumbest suggestion she had ever heard, but then she remembered why no one ever called Miles when they had car problems. He didn't know anything about them.

Sighing, she rolled her eyes at his lame attempt at helping, "never mind, I'll call Bass."

That seemed like the best idea because Miles sounded distracted anyway, "ok kid, be careful…sorry."

With a click of a button, Charlie was instantly disconnected. She pulled off onto the shoulder of the road, not wanting to call Bass right away, knowing he was busy with work, but she figured if she had to, she could bring it into his shop. She just didn't want to be one of those girls who had to call their boyfriends about every measly thing.

Cutting the car off, she sat patiently for a few moments, hoping that if she gave it enough time, the car would fix itself, worse mistake. Turning the ignition all she heard was a click that repeated every time upon every attempt.

Letting out a loud groan, she laid her head against the steering wheel in exasperation, "I knew I should've just stayed home and taken down the Christmas shit."

Now here she was, stuck on the side of the road, with a dead car. That was the last time she ever called Miles first instead of Bass who would've been more help. Shit, at this point, Aaron would've been more help than Miles, probably knew more about cars too.

She jumped when, after a few minutes, a finger tapped against her glass. Peering out to an unfamiliar face, she cracked her window and let out a small smile when his face displayed genuine concern, "everything alright here, your car battery dead or something?"

Sheepishly she shrugged her shoulders, "yeah I think so, I'm not really good with the whole car lingo…not like my boyfriend," she threw that out there as a precaution.

His face never faltered, even at the mention of a boyfriend, instead he motioned to her hood, "pop the hood, I have some jumper cables. I can try to jump your car and maybe you can make it to this 'boyfriend's' house so he can take a look at it."

He sounded like an arrogant asshole who didn't believe her boyfriend existed. If he was going to be a dick, so could she. She would use him to get her car going and then take it to Bass' shop before it cut off again. At least she would get something out of this annoyingly persistent asshole.

He disappeared under her hood; only his arms were visible to Charlie as he attached the cables to both cars, then going back around to his to start the ignition, yelled for her to do the same.

Finally, something was working out in her favor because the car roared to life. She didn't dare turn it back off in fear that it wouldn't start again, but she smiled in thanks to him as he closed her hood.

Tossing the cables in the backseat of his truck, he maneuvered himself to come back around, but Charlie had already put the car in drive and headed for the shop, smiling to herself when she saw his dumbfounded expression from her rearview mirror. Maybe that would teach him not to be so smug and assuming.

Never having been to Bass' shop before, all she knew about it was the location, of course at that moment in time, that's the only thing that mattered.

To say he was surprised when she pulled into the shop would've been an understatement. He was having one hell of a day already, nothing was going right for him, and he was almost late opening up the shop because Charlie's apartment was further away than his house was. He wasn't thinking about that last night as he sent Charlie over the edge three times in mind-blowing orgasms.

Discarding the oil on his hands onto a nearby rag, he stalked over to her car where she had exited, plastering her head against the door, "hey, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing…I was just going to see Miles, then my car started doing weird things so I called him for help I guess, but he was useless as usual. When I turned the car off it wouldn't turn back on, so some random guy jumped my car…and now I'm here."

He tried to overlook the small detail of a random guy helping, figuring that Charlie could handle herself if the situation called for it. He snickered, "you called Miles? Why didn't you just call Rachel, she would've been more useful."

Scowling at him she didn't look amused, "yes thank you, I realize my mistake now. Can you help me or not?"

He wasn't sure what it was, but her snappy attitude rubbed him the wrong way, most likely a result of the shitty day he was having, "I can if you stop being a brat, how old are you again? Geez, most of my customers aren't this rude."

Every facial feature on her face fell when he said that, but she refused to let him get to her. She straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest, "could you please take a look at my car and assess the damage, either that or if you would be so kind as to jump my car again so I can take it elsewhere if you'd prefer?"

"I'll fix it Charlie," his voice held a double meaning, but she was unaffected by it, "just…listen, just go sit in my office and I'll come find you in a bit. Do you have somewhere you need to be?"

She shook her head, not backing down, "no, take your time, I'll just go sit out in the lobby…like the rest of the customers, thanks."

Running a hand through his hair as she spun on her heels and walked away, he popped the hood of her car, assessing the damage as she had called it.

As soon as he figured out the problem he assigned the task of fixing it to one of his workers, Bobby, since it wasn't a major problem.

Bass had a bigger problem on his hands. He was having a shitty day and he let it get to him enough to snap at Charlie in such a tone, that even he knew he was in the wrong. Plus he hit a double whammy bringing up her age.

She wasn't sensitive about it, but every time he brought it up, she assumed it was because he thought about it often, when really he was just a dumbass that didn't think before he spoke 99% of the time.

He found her sitting, just like she said, in one of the chairs in the lobby, thumbing through a magazine as everyone else's eyes were glued to the TV. He nodded his head in acknowledgement to them all, as he strode forward to stand in front of her.

It didn't take a genius to know it was Bass, but she wasn't really in the mood to be belittled again when all she did in the first place was ask a question.

"I have Bobby working on your car now, it shouldn't take him too long," he stuffed his hands in the front pocket of his jeans, waiting for her to look up at him or something.

She didn't give him the satisfaction as she pretended to be engrossed in the magazine, "ok great, tell him thank you, and let me know how much I owe you and when it's done."

"Charlotte, you know you don't owe me anything," pressing his lips together in a thin line, rolling his eyes.

She snorted and looked up at him, "well I'm pretty sure that everyone else here," she swept her arm out in reference, "has to pay so I shouldn't be any different."

"Why are you acting like such a…"

Closing the magazine, she lowered her voice, "a what Bass, a brat? Is that what you were going to say? I'm just trying to do what you asked me to do, and that is to be a regular customer who isn't rude. I wasn't being rude, civil and rude are two different things."

Throwing his hands up, he lowered his voice when he saw they had eyes on them, "fine Charlotte, be a bitch, I've had a rough day and your attitude isn't helping anything."

At that moment Bobby interrupted them, "sorry to jump in, but your car is all fixed and everything should be running smoothly now."

"I don't think so," she mumbled under her breath, referring to the current state of their relationship. Standing up, she turned back to them, "where can I pay? I have to head out of here."

Bass looked at her pleadingly, but when he was met with only a cold stare he just snapped at pointed at the register towards the main door, "just ring her up there Bobby."

And with that he turned around and didn't look at her again as he exited, letting the door shut loudly behind him. She knew she was the one who made a big deal about being treated like a regular customer, as per his request, but it ate at her that he actually went through with it.

It wasn't about the money, she would've been glad to pay because she didn't expect services for free, but it was the fact that he gladly took her money.

So he was having a bad day, it wasn't like hers was going so well either, hence being stuck on the side of the road with a broken down car.

Maybe she was acting like a brat a little bit, but he wasn't much better, out there throwing things around causing a racket.

Paying Bobby, she took the keys back, and quickly sped out of the shop, not looking back in her mirror, but she didn't have to, she knew that he was watching her. He hadn't taken his eyes off her from the moment she got there.

He only thought that she wasn't looking, but she was, she always was.

She made it the bar only…almost three hours after she originally planned to be there, but this time she had a real reason for coming. She needed a drink and at least Miles wouldn't make her pay for anything.

Storming in, she peeled her coat off and tossed on the chair beside of her, slumping down in defeat. Miles looked over at her, "what's wrong with you kid?"

She simply shook her head as he went about pouring her a drink, not even asking if she wanted one. Apparently he could look on her face and see she needed one, "just a bad day. Took the car to Bass' shop when it went dead, and we just had a fight. No big deal."

Miles groaned, pausing from his inventory sheet, "ah hell is he still pissy about what Baker and that idiot Hamilton said this morning?"

Charlie's interest peaked, "I didn't know…what did they say?"

Miles looked genuinely surprised that Charlie didn't already know, "Bass didn't tell you?" When Charlie shook her head no he sighed again, "it's not really my business to tell then."

"If that were the case then you wouldn't have even brought it up," she snapped, gritting her teeth at him.

Miles immediately held his hands up, "I just assumed Bass told you everything. Look I'll give you the gist, Hamilton was saying some pretty stupid things about yours and Bass' relationship, and I guess Bass took it kinda hard. He's one tough ass guy, but he doubts himself a lot, and he doubts what you see in him…guess that got to him more than he let on."

Charlie's anger dissipated into just mild irritation. She wished Bass would've been more honest with her today and told her why he was pissed at the world, instead of taking it out on her and pushing her buttons.

This changed things a little bit knowing that something else ticked him off and caused him pain. She may have still been upset with him, but that didn't mean anyone else was allowed to anger him, only she was allowed to.

"I'm not going to get into the rest of it, but just bring it up and ask him about it. Bass hasn't been used to letting people in for a very long time—"

She cut him off, "doesn't seem like he has a hard time letting you in on things."

It sounded jealous and bitter, and maybe she was a little bit jealous at the current moment, but that was being petty and she knew it.

Miles rolled his eyes, "you've known him what…a few weeks at most, kid I've known him my entire life and believe me, he wasn't always so open and chatty with me. Bass is used to keeping things in, especially after his parents and sisters died. He only tells me because I know him better than he knows himself. He couldn't lie to me if he wanted to."

Charlie nodded, pushing the glass away, "I know that was a stupid thing to say, and I was probably being a brat today, but he just looked like he was trying to…I don't know, push me away. I saw it in his eyes when he brought up the stupid age gap again."

Miles winched when she mentioned that, "just ask him about it, I'm sure once you figure out what was said then you'll understand why he said it."

It was vague and cryptic, but that was Miles' way of letting Charlie know what the extent of the problem was without actually saying it. She had already come to the conclusion that it was something about age, she should've guessed.

Abruptly getting up, Miles called after her retreating form, "where are you going?"

"Home," she answered not bothering to turn around, she knew Bass would be off work shortly, so she wanted to go home before he got there.

Of course with the way they left things earlier she wasn't really sure where he would end up after work. Deciding to take a risk she drove to her house, hoping he would come to the same conclusion.

She paused at the door when she heard a noise coming from inside, looking around to find Bass' car parked at the far end of the parking lot. Internally she smiled, his predictability was a comfort to her, especially during times like this. She never had to hunt him down because he always came back to her, like a boomerang.

Pushing the door open she saw Bass sitting on the love seat, in the dark, one leg crossed over the other, and hands hanging loosely at his side. He definitely didn't look as infuriated as before, but he was far from relaxed.

Upon hearing her enter, he turned around with a saddened expression to meet her gaze that had softened from this morning, "hey, I didn't know if it was okay to just show up without a warning. I left work early."

"You never have to give me a warning Bass," she shut the door with her foot, hanging her coat up, turning away from his lingering gaze, still feeling his burning eyes on her backside as she placed her scarf and gloves on the table.

When she turned back around she was met with an anxious, nervous Bass, shifting on his feet, hunching his shoulders forward, "I owe you an explanation."

Instantly she began shaking her head as she met him halfway, "no it's okay you don't, Miles told me a little of what was going on and that's enough. But I owe you an apology. I was being a brat this morning. I just wasn't having a good morning either, but that's no excuse."

She had a lot of time to think on the way from the bar and she came to the conclusion that Bass didn't have to tell her everything that went on, even if he already told Miles.

Bass looked as though he was bursting at the seams. He had to tell her, he didn't like keeping things from her, but he also didn't want to spook her. Looking at her bowed in shoulders, and her slow hesitating movements, he threw caution to the wind.

"He just…he pissed me off. Bringing up the age difference, which before you start, no I don't give a damn about it. I never have and I never will, and I know you don't either. But it was about kids. He just kept mentioning how old I would be when, or even if, we had kids. Said some shit about you might not even want any for years since you were so young. I didn't want it to seem like I was pressuring you or asking you, that's the reason I didn't mention it. I didn't realize it affect me so much," finally at the end of his long-winded ramble, Bass inhaled a big breath, not releasing it for a few moments.

Charlie's eyes widened as she numbly moved to sit down on the couch, elbows resting comfortably on her knees. She had wanted to interrupt so many times during his proclamation, but now that he was done and she could soak in it…she didn't have anything to say.

Once upon a time she had asked herself the same question. Did she want kids? For some reason she couldn't picture herself with any time in the near future, but she also understood that Bass was close to 50. She could recognize why he would be thinking about it more than she did.

As bad as she hated to admit it, her mom's words were echoing in her mind, telling her 'I told you so.' Maybe Rachel had been right in the beginning when she said that Charlie would find out they were in two different places in their life.

Her inner monologue was cut short when she felt his warm hand on her leg, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to lay all of that on you at once."

She shook her head and cleared her throat, "it's not your fault, I'm the one who asked."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't even know if I want kids. I thought at one time I did, but I'm not so sure anymore," he smiled softly, trying to lighten the mood, but that backfired.

Without warning, a few teardrops fell from her eyes before she could stop it. The only thing she knew to do was hide her face in her hands, shoving the tears back down before it could erupt into a full blown, meltdown.

Bass' heart instantly panged as he took in the sight of her. This broke his heart more than anything he had ever experienced in his life. He moved closer to her running a hand up and down her back in a soothing manner, "shit Charlie, baby, please don't cry. God, the last thing I would ever wanna do is make you cry."

She had a grip on her emotions until she heard his pleading voice. It made her feel even worse to hear him so conflicted. She asked for the truth and now she was blubbering like a damn fool.

She hated that time of the month when every little thing for the first day could potentially make her cry. Her whole body froze under his fingertips as soon as the light bulb went off…she couldn't for the life of her remember her last period. There hadn't been one for this month yet, and she was pretty sure it should've already been here by now.

Bass could feel her body go stiff and he went into panic mode, not being able to hear or feel her breathing. He pulled her face up gently to look into her eyes, fear spreading throughout his body, "Charlotte…Charlie, can you hear me?"

Unresponsive he shook her gently, cupping her face, "Charlie…baby, it's ok, just forget I said anything. Please just—say something…anything, hell, get mad…just say something."

"I think…that I'm pregnant," her voice quietly silenced his worry, but stirred up another emotion in him at the same time that looked an awful lot like panic.

Honestly he had never pictured her saying that, not even in his wildest dreams, plus he couldn't figure out how she felt about it, so he didn't know how to respond.

Letting his hands drop from her face, he put some space in between them, giving her some room to breath, figuring it was harder on her than it was for him.

He knew how he felt on the inside. Sure he was old as the hills now, but there was nothing in the world he wanted more than to have a family with Charlie. He meant what he said earlier though, family didn't have to mean one specific thing, but as soon as the words left her lips, he could picture their family complete with a kid.

"I'm sorry," he heard her whisper, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He turned to look at her pain stricken face as she rambled on, "I was on the pill, but I think I missed a day or two. God, I'm so stupid, I'm so sorry Bass. I should've been more careful. I understand if you don't really want kids right now."

Bass' eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Charlie you think I don't want kids?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know…you just said you didn't."

He shook his head, "that was partially true, but mostly I was saying it to make you feel better and take off some of the pressure. I'm yours Charlie, all yours, and there is nothing that would make me happier than you having my child. Besides none of this is your fault, it takes two to tango, so half of it is my fault."

She wanted to smile, but the emotion wasn't registering in her face as she sat there, fiddling with her hands in her lap.

"Are you sure?"

Again she shook her head, "not 100% but my period hasn't come yet, so either it's reallllly late or it isn't coming."

He nodded and took her hand in his, "if you are or if you aren't, that doesn't change anything. Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you. We just may need to move in together, but I was going to propose that anyway. I'm tired of confusing myself on which house I should be at which night," he chuckled when she let out a shaky laugh.

Placing two fingers underneath her chin, he angled her face up, blue eyes meeting blue eyes, "look at me Charlie, I love you. Every part of you, and if there is a mini Charlie inside of you, I will love that part of you too, I'm saying mini Charlie because the world sure as hell doesn't need a mini Bass," he chuckles, "If there isn't, that's okay too, maybe one day there will be when the time is right. Hamilton freaked me out about being an old parent, but I'd rather be an ancient parent with you, than have children with anyone else."

At that Charlie couldn't contain her sniffle and half-hearted chuckle as she threw her arms around his shoulders. His arms came to rest on her back, rubbing up and down.

The force of her hug caused Bass to tumble backwards against the couch, taking Charlie along with him. She snuggled into his chest, resting her hand just below his heart, closing her eyes as she listened to the rhythmic thumping.

He didn't say anything for a few minutes as he allowed his eyes to close as well, breathing in her scent, but after awhile he couldn't help but ask, "are you going to take a test?"

She nodded, hair tickling his chin as muttered, "can you tell me a story first. Just something from your childhood. Something that doesn't have to do with Miles."

She loved hearing stories about him and Miles when they were younger, but right now she just wanted to hear about him. She wanted to share an experience with him that no one else had.

Chuckling, he had to think a little longer about that because most of his stories involved Miles, but he finally remembered one, "I'll tell you a Christmas story how about that, I don't like to tell people many of these stories because I like to keep them to myself…but I'd share 'em with you."

His sentiment made Charlie's heart leap out of her chest. She knew that he didn't like to talk about the holidays much so it meant a lot that he chose to share it with her.

"One year for Christmas I asked to go to the zoo, I've always loved animals and I really wanted to see them, and one of dad's friends worked there as a zoologist. When the zoo was closed one day, my parents took me to the zoo…after hours sort of. I felt so cool, like I was a rebel, only with my parents there. We walked around for hours and hours. They let me go as slow as I wanted, fuck, I spent 30 minutes talking back and forth with the parrots and the only thing they said was 'hello,' but I was easily entertained."

Charlie smiled at how vividly he seemed to remember that day when she honestly couldn't remember anything from that long ago in so much distinct detail. It made her realize just how lucky she was in life that she didn't have to cling to memories like Bass did, but that gave him a greater appreciation for every moment, so really he was the lucky one.

"We watched the tigers for awhile, but after a bit they were 'playing,' at least that's what I called it. I found out later they were having really rough looking sex where they looked like they were about to devour each other. I was distraught and started freaking out about it. Eventually my parents had to break bad and tell me what they were doing, not so candidly, but enough to shut me up because I wouldn't drop it. I wanted to call animal control, the cops, the FBI, SWAT, whoever. I honestly thought one of those tigers was going to die. I think though I was more distraught when my parents told me I was going to get a sister, because in my head I was picturing those tigers and their idea of mating. Long story short, I traumatized myself."

Charlie exploded into a fit of howling laughter, her whole body shaking at his side, while Bass quietly chuckled, "yeah yeah, laugh it up, see that's why I don't tell you stories."

"No, I'm glad you shared it, it reminds me of the time that Danny walked in on our parents and started crying because he had no idea what was going on," Charlie laughed, "I still tease him about that to this day, and he still blushes and stammers when I bring it up."

She could feel Bass shudder, "gross I don't want to picture Rachel naked, think I'd rather go back to the tigers."

"Wouldn't it be even weirder to picture penguins having sex?"

Bass broke out into a loud laughter, "I suppose it would considering I don't even know how the hell they'd manage that. Let's just stop picturing animals mating, my mind can't take anymore of that."

With that Charlie couldn't help but laugh while Bass was trying to erase those images out of his head.

Speaking of animals, she knew that they couldn't ignore the elephant in the room the rest of the night, so begrudgingly; she pushed herself off of him, smiling in reassurance when he sat up quickly.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She shook her head, smiling as she went into the bathroom, hunting for where she stored the test. She found the pregnancy test when she first moved out on her own, her mother wanted her to be prepared for any occasion, which apparently to Rachel translated to expect the unexpected. Maybe she learned that motto from Miles.

Nevertheless at the time she was pissed at her mother for thinking she was going to be so careless in the near future, but now she was praising her mother for thinking ahead when clearly Charlie couldn't even recall her last period.

She didn't realize how long she had been sitting in the bathroom, hands covering her face, fingers pressing into her temples, the only sound coming from her shallow breathing in attempts to calm her racing heart.

A knock at the door captured her attention, "are you okay Charlie?"

Looking down, she let out a breath she had been holding for quite some time, discarding the test into the trash as she smiled at him when she opened the door, "I'm not pregnant."

She expected him to be a bit more overjoyed about that fact, especially when he spent all day in a tizzy thinking about being the oldest parent alive, but his face fell for a fraction of a second before he warmly smiled.

She still caught it, "are YOU okay?"

He nodded, "oh yeah, of course…it's just that, would it be stupid to say that for a minute I was actually picturing you pregnant. And I think I liked what I was seeing."

That wasn't stupid at all because, as happy as Charlie was about not being pregnant at this point in time, she was also disheartened, and that shocked her more than the thought of an unplanned pregnancy.

Stepping in his chest as his arms enclosed around her, she shook her head, leaving her head turned to the side, "it's not stupid at all because I was thinking the same thing. I wasn't ready at first, but when I had a few minutes to mull it over, I came to terms with it."

"Does that mean you want to try for kids?"

Smirking up at him, she batted her eyelashes, "it means I wouldn't mind practicing a bit more until the real thing happened."


	18. If A Tree Falls

"I really meant what I said earlier," he said after a long extended period of silent. Both of them were wrapped up in one another's arms, still coming down from the high of one of the many orgasms they shared that night.

Charlie's brow furrowed, having a hard time recalling exactly what he was referring to. He said many things earlier.

His chest rumbled in laughter when she didn't respond, "about moving in with me, I was serious about that. I really do think it would be a good idea."

Resting her chin on his chest she looked at him from underneath her fluttering eyelashes, "are you sure it isn't too fast? I don't want to spook you and then you regret it."

Smiling, he bent his head down to peck her lips in encouragement, "I would never regret anything that had to do with you. As far as it being too soon, for me, I feel like I've been in love with you for years. The house feels quiet, empty, and dull without you there. It's like you've always belonged there since the first night you stayed. Plus you're wasting money here paying for a place that hardly looks lived in."

All of those were smart, logical reasons but for some rationale she still wasn't chomping at the bit, which Bass picked up on.

His heart sank a bit in his chest, fearing that maybe it wasn't him she was worried about. Maybe she was worried that it would be too fast for her.

Fears rushed out the window when her lips collided with his, taking him by surprise, as she rolled to move more of her body on top of his, "don't talk dirty to me about all the money I could be saving."

Bass laughed and shook his head, stroking the soft skin of her bare arms as she nestled further to his chest, burying her head, "that way we can get drunk at my house for New Year's Eve…Miles will have to come there since there's two of us against him now."

"Oh I'm just collateral damage now? Besides I thought he always had a big get together at the bar?"

"This year he said he wanted to do something different," Bass shrugged, "I think it was your mother who volunteered them to host a New Year's Eve party since Aaron and Priscilla do for every other occasion."

Absentmindedly, Charlie reached out with her fingertips and began drawing circles on his chest as she listened to him, "it would be nice if everyone came to us for once. I can't promise everything will be neatly organized and put away by then, but I can always stuff boxes out of the way in our room."

He hadn't even realized that she agreed to move in, but as soon as those words left her lips he was tugging her face up to meet her lips in a scorching kiss, "you can put those boxes wherever the hell you want to. It's your house too, always has been."

Bass fell asleep with a full heart, while Charlie's mind was racing with all of the things she needed to get done.

It was true that her apartment looked barely lived in, that's why Bass always commented on the cleanliness. Most of the rooms were bare and she had little furniture, the apartment came furnished with the bigger pieces.

The only problem would be with all of the knick-knack stuff she had accumulated from friends who went overseas and traveling all around the world. They always brought her stuff back and she treasured gifts like that. Plus the terrible twins adored Charlie and somehow she always ended up with paintings and drawings every week from their art class.

She couldn't bear to part with any of that stuff, but there were some things she could trash in order to conserve space, though she doubted that Bass would care home much space she took him. He seemed too ecstatic about her moving in to care.

While he laid there asleep, she forced her eyes closed, but her mind began concocting a running list of what needed to be taken over there first, that way if they got busy, they could get the rest later.

She smiled to herself thinking about how the year started out as a drag, but she was now ending it in her first real home with a man she loved more than she thought possible.

After three hours of on and off sleep, she decided just to give up. Sneaking out of the security of Bass' arms, making sure not to jolt him awake, her feet quietly padded against the carpet until she reached the kitchen.

That was as good as any place to start packing up and getting rid of things. The bedroom stuff would have to wait until a more feasible hour of the day when Bass wasn't likely to wake up grumpy.

He was a lot like Miles in that respect, if he didn't get enough sleep, or if he was woken up in the middle of a deep sleep, he was a grouch. Charlie only really got irritable and grouchy when she was hungry, Danny always teased her and called her hangry, a word he knew irritated Charlie.

Running off little sleep seemed to be working in her favor considering she got most of the kitchen packed, eliminating a majority of stuff she knew Bass owned, the front room, and half of the bathroom before Bass even entered the land of living, only to be disappointed, waking up alone.

Rubbing at his eyes, he stared at her back for a full two minutes in confusion when he saw her sitting cross-legged on the floor, sorting through stuff.

She didn't pay him any attention as she stacked more in the plastic container in front of her.

Slumping his shoulders in defeat, he ran his fingers through his hair as a yawn passed through his lips on his path to the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets, coming up empty handed when Charlie laughed, "there's a bowl and spoon on the counter…couldn't sleep so I figured I would get started."

She tacked on the last part when he gave her a half confused, half amused expression. The excitement was evident on her face and in her voice.

For most of the morning he watched her silently from the rim of his bowl, filled to the brim with oatmeal, as she moved about the house. It was always interesting to watch her because Bass could see the wheels turning in her head, and if he looked close enough he could almost hear the conversation she was having in her head.

She was like a game in which, every time he learned something new about her, he unlocked a code that enabled him to see her more clearly.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, warned Bass that if he didn't leave soon he would be late to work, and he had already been late once this week. That didn't reflect well on him, seeing as how he was the owner and often bitched about everyone else being late.

Intending not to interrupt the flow she had going, he went to the bedroom, slipping on his shoes, the last missing piece to complete the outfit he got dressed in earlier somewhere between her third or fourth lap around the house.

Passing by her, he heard her call out, "no goodbye kiss? I was quiet all morning…didn't even wake you up," she beamed proudly.

Chuckling, he walked back over to where she was and bent down to press his lips softly against hers, but Charlie grabbed ahold of his shirt collar, yanking him down further, "have a good day at work," she whispered against his lips.

Ruffling her hair, he laughed when she complained and went to fix her hair back, "have fun with all of the packing. Don't sign me up for that," before she could yell he was already out the door.

With Bass gone and out of the way Charlie could now go about packing up her room, which was the most important room in the whole house. She could live without her dishes and little things, but she needed her clothes and her pillows.

For once her leaving a lot of things at her parents' house worked for her, even though sometimes she missed having all of the childhood memories surrounding her. Maybe there would come a time when she and Bass could move into a place that was specifically theirs. Then she would bring everything from home there.

For now though, she was content with just the bare necessities. She didn't want to clutter up Bass' house with all of her memories when he barely had any displayed in his house, minus a bunch of family pictures that now included a picture of him and Charlie on the mantle.

Time literally flew in comparison to the other day. She made it to Bass' house one time, taking all the boxes she could manage on her own, moving them out of the way enough so she could go back and get more stuff.

Forgetting there were plastic containers right by the front door, she stubbed her toe hard on one upon entering her apartment. "Fuck," she dropped her keys and grabbed her toe to alleviate some of the pain.

Once the pain subsided she went back to moving everything into the front room. By the time she looked at the time on her phone, when it started vibrating loudly beside of her, it was already past dinnertime.

She was so caught up in the whole packing business that she didn't notice Bass hadn't come home yet, when usually he came back straight after work.

"Hey Miles, what's up?" She answered casually, dragging the containers with one hand into the front room, Bass could do the heavy lifting; she did the hard part already.

"Hey kid, are you busy?" The worry in his voice got her attention right away; Miles wouldn't have called if it weren't important. He was more of an 'impromptu, show up at your house' kind of guy.

Forgetting the task at hand she devoted her full attention to her uncle, "no why is something wrong?"

"Bass called me earlier and said he got hurt and needed someone to pick him up, but I'm out with your mom and Danny. We're too far from—"

She tuned everything else out as soon as he said that Bass was hurt, "where is he? I'll go pick him up right now. Did he say it was major? Is he hurt really bad?"

Trying not to let her imagination get away from her, she inhaled calming breaths, anxiously awaiting Miles' answer, "no no, nothing major, he sounded in some serious pain, but he's ok kid…don't panic. I'll text you the address, I was driving so I couldn't see where he was at exactly. I'm just not going to make it home in enough time to pick him up."

"That's fine, just text me the address now, I'm already in the car," she said as she moved the phone from her ear and buckled in. She was a tad less worried when Miles said it wasn't anything major, but that didn't mean a whole lot because Miles would say a lost limb wasn't major because you had another one.

True to his word he sent her the address immediately, a road she had never even heard of, that took her way down into a part of Chicago she had never even seen in all of her life.

A fleeting question about why he was even at a bar at this time, floated across her mind, but there would be time to worry about that later.

"Miles I called you over an hour ago," Bass winched into the phone, "where the hell are you?"

"Relax man, Charlie's on her way. I was too far out to come get you, you could've bled out by that time," Miles laughed in a joking manner.

"Charlie…you sent Charlie to come and get me? Miles what the hell were you thinking? You sent your niece to a sleazy, trashy, seedy, bar to pick me up?"

"Bass what the fuck, you didn't mention that when you texted and said you were hurt. How could you be so dim-witted? Are you at that stupid hole in the wall Flannigan's? You're fighting again, after everything that happened last time? How the fuck could you do that to Charlie. She's going to be pissed. Did you even think about the consequences you fucking moron," Miles dished out the questions faster than Bass could answer them.

He could tell that Miles was furious at him for neglecting to mention he just got through with a fight, mostly because he knew Miles disapproved. Hell, he disapproved of it himself, but it was like an addiction that he just couldn't quit no matter how long he stayed away from it. Somehow it always found a way to weasel its way back into the crack life in Bass' life.

"How else would you think I got hurt at a bar Miles, use your brain for once. She's not going to be pissed, she's going to be fucking furious, and besides her anger, she could get hurt," Bass grimaces, attempting to stand and make his way to the exit. He gave up on the quickly part when searing pain coursed throughout his body.

If he had known Miles was going to send Charlie he would've just waited outside for her, this was the last place she needed to be. It was 100 times worse than the bar she picked him and Miles up from on their 'double date.'

Miles rounded on him when he tried using his as a scapegoat, "it's not my fault dickhead, you should've given me specific details instead of trying to hide shit. Get your ass outside because she should be there any minute. I don't want my niece in that goddamn place."

Bass huffed in anger, no shit, he didn't want Charlie there either, but none of this would've happened if Miles had given him a warning.

Actually none of this would've happened if he hadn't succumb to the call of the fight, but that was besides the point at the moment.

"Shit, I gotta go, Charlie's here," Bass moved the phone away from his ear and tucked it into his pocket as he heard Miles shouting on the other end, picking up his pace. He was in a shit ton amount of pain, but nothing could deter him from getting Charlie out of there as fast as possible.

She however didn't seem to notice, her eyes zeroed in on him as she made a beeline to where he was currently struggling to make it past the bar.

There was obvious worry and sympathy on her face for his condition, but he could see the fury behind her eyes. He was in for a world of shit when they got out of there.

Not even looking him in the eye, she crouched down, wrapping her arm around his torso as he unconsciously moved his arm to drape over her shoulders. He tried to hold most of his own bodyweight, Charlie was strong, but he was a lot heavier than he looked…especially when it was all just deadweight.

"I didn't know you were coming, or I would've…"

"Would've what Bass, cleaned up? Of course you didn't know I was coming, otherwise you would've thought twice before you did some stupid shit like voluntarily sign yourself up for some dirty, fight club wanna be remake," she sneered at him, pulling him a little faster than necessary towards the exit.

It might've been anger motivating her speech, but it was true, and the kicker was that Bass knew it was damn stupid when he agreed. So why didn't he say no when Duncan came to the shop and all but begged him?

A pale hand darted out in front of Charlie's line of vision; she skidded to a halt, finally looking up to meet the person's eyes.

Speak of the devil; it was Duncan, a small smile playing on her lips, "shit Bass you look really bad."

"That's what he gets for throwing himself head first into something without even bothering to think about it first," Charlie snapped, not at Duncan, but it was hard for her to contain her anger to just one person.

Duncan snickered, "wow, remind me not to ask you to fight again if it gets you in this much trouble. Although with your anger Charlie, you'd make one helluva fighter," she addressed Charlie directly now.

She didn't hear anything after the first sentence. The reason Bass was here, the reason he was in this shitty, useless condition, the day before New Years Eve, was because Duncan…asked?

Stepping away from Bass' body, he was forced to put more weight on his bad leg, sucking in air sharply when he felt a stabbing pain from the tip of his toes all the way to his thigh.

"I'm sorry…what?" She looked over to Bass, "let me get this straight, you look like got into a fight with a bulldozer…and lost, all because Duncan over here asked you to sign up for a suicide mission and you thought to yourself, 'hmm that sounds like a good idea…I don't have any plans the rest of the day, might as well get the shit knocked out of me?'"

Duncan chuckled under her breath, "to be fair you should've seen the other guy if you thought Bass looked bad, at least he won."

Charlie's head snapped around to hers, narrowing her eyes, "I don't give a damn what the other guy looked like, I'm not the one who has to worry about him. I have to worry about this idiot over here. So he won at beating the shit out of some guy, who the fuck cares?"

"Maybe you just don't have an appreciation for the art of fighting," Duncan said, simply shrugging her shoulders.

Charlie scoffed, "knocking someone out, and beating them to a pulp isn't an art form. There's nothing artistic about it, anyone could go in there and wildly throw around punches and get lucky."

An excitement swept over Duncan's face, "well…perhaps you'd like to prove it?"

Without even thinking about it Bass stepped closer to them, previously swaying on his feet, listening to them bicker. That would've woken him up out of a dead sleep, "forget it Duncan, no way, you may have talked me into it, but Charlie sure as hell isn't going to be apart of your quest for money and power."

Charlie snapped at him, "I don't need you to tell me what I can and cannot do. I mean hell; there must be some appeal to it. Why else would you say 'yes' to something so reckless and dangerous if there wasn't something exciting about it?"

She pretended to consider it, looking off into the distance as the next two men stepped up to the makeshift ring to fight. Before she could let her eyes linger, she felt a sharp tug at her elbow, only to come crashing into Bass' chest.

He growled at her, "don't even think about it Charlie, I said hell-fucking-no, you aren't one of those people."

"One of those people…who exactly are 'those people,' are you one of them?"

He didn't answer right away, not knowing the answer. By those people he meant, messed up, adrenaline junkies who couldn't resist the thrill of a fight. It was something embedded in their DNA, seemed like anyway, something that crept into their minds even when comatose.

Did he consider himself to be one of those people? Maybe at one time he had more in common with them, when he felt like he had nothing to lose…no one to lose, not even when his best friend, his brother, Miles was in the picture.

Not even Miles was enough to keep the dark thoughts away, but he hadn't felt them for a long time. Because of Charlie, Miles wasn't the Matheson that he needed, not to ward off the monsters…it was Charlie.

She wasn't the blinding light that came out during a nice, warm, spring day. She was the moon that glowed on, even the darkest of Bass' days, when everything else got swallowed up by the night. She, like the moon, remained bright, shining, and constant, no matter what was going on around and no matter how dark the night got.

Truthfully he agreed to help Duncan out because she came to the shop in a tough spot, like she was desperate. Secretly he also agreed because, the old Bass wouldn't have to even think about it. He enjoyed fighting, it was something he was good at, and Flannigan's was a place he was familiar with from years ago. It would've been a no brainer.

The new Bass was reluctant to agree, downright hesitant. It wasn't Charlie that popped into his mind at first when he was mulling it over; it was the fact that he wasn't the same guy anymore…due partially to age, and partially because of Charlie. She gave him a reason to want to not just survive, but to thrive.

"No," his voice was soft at first, so soft he wasn't sure he had really said it, "no, I'm not one of those people. Not anymore anyway, and you…you never would be."

"If I wanted to, I would, and I probably should just in defiance, but then again I'm a lot smarter than your dumbass self. I can think of plenty of other ways to get back at you than to damage my body in the process," she retorted in still apparent frustration.

She knew it was hard on him, change was never easy, especially when you saw a change in yourself that made you see how truly lost you had been before.

It was like looking in a mirror at a darker version of yourself, only you couldn't remember ever being that person, or why you would've wanted to in the first place. It makes you wonder what happened to force you into that dark, bottomless pit, where the only thing you were sure of was never hitting the bottom. If you couldn't hit rock bottom though, you could never work your way back to the top. You were forced to continuously fall.

His body relaxed once she said that. He knew that she was much too smart to be easily influenced, but the thought of her being out there sent his body into such a panic that he almost forgot about the pain.

It was a double standard because he was just out there, doing what he refused to let Charlie, without even considering her feelings or how it would affect her, but he didn't give a damn. She could be pissed at him for the double standard all she wanted if that meant she would remain unhurt.

Sighing, she went back to her previous position, adrenaline allowing her to take more of his weight this time, "let's just get out of it. It smells like blood, sweat, and lost brain cells."

Even though she was angry, she couldn't help but admit the smell was erotic. Just thinking about Bass out there fighting made her want to go home and rip his clothes off, but the idiot had fucked himself up too bad for sex. That could be his punishment.

She turned to Duncan one last time, "oh and next time you need volunteers for your shit show, why don't you look to yourself first…being as this is such a poetic art form," she threw Duncan's bullshit line right back at her, emphasizing how ridiculous it sounded.

Duncan's mouth quirked up into a smirk as she watched Charlie walk away. The words weren't meant out of bitterness or jealousy, they were pure fury. That's what Duncan liked about her. She had a raw, spitfire power that allowed her to say whatever she wanted, not giving a damn.

Her long legs were usually not a problem for Bass to keep up with, but she was moving too fast for him, he groaned in pain the first few steps she took outside, but she didn't acknowledge it.

Admittedly she was distracted and still fuming, but when he winced out loud in obvious pain, she slowed her pace and muttered a 'sorry' under her breath.

"S'okay, I probably deserve it," he huffed out.

Charlie lightly shook her head; "no you don't deserve to be physically hurt even more when you look like one tap could shatter you into a million little Bass pieces. I'm sure the next few days will be punishment enough."

He slowed until he was barely walking, eyes closed as he wrapped a hand in her hair, breathing in the scent of her hair, mixed with the musky odor of the bar, "you're too good to me even when I keep doing dumbass things…why?"

"Maybe I think it was kind of hot imaging you out there fighting…I mean, if you didn't look like complete shit right now."

His eyes fluttered open, tugging roughly at her hair to turn her face in his direction as he ran his nose along her cheek until his mouth rested just below her ear, "oh yeah, you think that would be hot?"

Charlie nodded in enthusiasm, "it's too bad you won't know what those thoughts do to me."

Instantly stilling he moved back just enough to look at her face to see if she was bluffing or not, but conclusions led him to believe she wasn't, "what do you mean I won't find out?"

She wanted to laugh at how silly he was being, lower lip jutting out, brows furrowing in confusion, "I mean we aren't having sex until you're better obviously. You screwed yourself in there and the last thing I want to do is make it worse for a few hours of enjoyable pleasure."

Wanting to actually make it home she went back to practically tugging him along, pushing him in the car when he slipped his arm around her waist and drew her in closer, "you can't be serious."

"I'm very serious Bass, no sex, this is your fault so you have no one to blame but yourself," she smiled to herself when she went around the hood of the car, glancing at him from the corner of her eye in the passenger seat throwing a temper tantrum.

Buckling herself in, she constantly bit the inside of her cheek the whole ride home, in a vain attempt to not to smile at his pouty face. For someone who was in so much pain and looked like he had been through a paper shredder, he was relentless.

He was still grumbling and griping when she helped him out of the car, "I don't know why," he whistled in pain when he stood up from the car, "this has to exclude all forms of sex."

"Because I know you, you wouldn't be able to stop," she said it with such a confident tone but Bass could poke holes in any argument.

Smugly he looked down at the crown of her head, "don't you mean you wouldn't be able to stop?"

"That's besides the point," she muttered a blush spreading across her cheeks, "the point is, you got yourself beat up and now neither of us can have sex," a whine escaped her lips before she could contain it, this was more punishment for her than it was for him…and she didn't even do anything wrong.

"If you keep complaining, I'll take you to the doctor…better yet I'll take you to my grandfather who works just a couple towns over. I'm sure he would be thrilled to see the man who's shacking up with his grandfather, especially looking like you do now," sarcasm oozed out of her voice enough to effectively shut Bass' inner monologue up.

He hated doctors yes, but to meet Charlie's grandfather under these circumstances frightened him even more. Plus he figured that once they got inside and settled for awhile she would be too lazy to go back out and he could resume his whining.

None too gently she ushered him into the house, pushing some of the boxes out of the way, trying to avoid another repeat of earlier this morning. Moving was not an easy thing, not when it came to unpacking, and not when Bass already had most of the house filled up.

He had intended to make room for her today since he didn't have to go to work tomorrow, but that would be out of the question now since he was positive Charlie was going to put him on bed rest.

As gently as she could, she helped him to sit down on the couch when he moaned loudly as she tried to steer him in the direction of the bedroom, "can't I stay in the living room for a bit while you unpack? At least in here I'll have a nice view."

Playfully rolling her eyes, a smile rose on her lips as she conceded, holding in a breath when he plopped down on the couch, mouth twisting up into pain. It wouldn't matter how mad she was at it, never did she want to see him in that kind of pain again.

Fighting was one thing, she didn't mind that, but not if it meant he usually ended up in this bad of shape.

"I'm not going to unpack until we get the rest of my stuff here, which I guess now I'll have to do since you're in bad shape," she threw a glare in his direction, "so instead I'll just work on taking down your Christmas tree."

He mentioned earlier that he wasn't one to leave things up, and that seemed like it would be a good distraction.

Unfortunately she could still feel the sexual tension surrounding her as she took off the few Christmas ornaments he let her put up. Stuffing them into the box, she rounded the tree, catching the same toe she hit earlier on the tree stand, letting out a squeal of alarm when she saw the tree crashing down.

She didn't know about if a tree still made a sound if it fell in a forest and no one was around to hear it, but everyone within a five mile radius was bound to be able to hear that tree crashing.

Holding her breath, she brought her hands up to cover her mouth, eyes widening, "whoops…I forgot to say timber."

Her cute, innocent, and remorseful tone made Bass laugh out loud, groaning when his side began to hurt, "well that's one way to take down a tree I guess. Just leave it for now, com'ere, what's wrong with your foot."

She had started walking over towards him but stopped when it dawned on her that he wanted to make sure she was okay. She didn't want to have to tell the story so she lied instead, "nothing it got caught on the tree stand."

"No your foot barely touched the stand, but as soon as it did, your leg shot out and kicked the tree. That's not very nice you know…kicking a poor defenseless tree."

"Would you rather I kicked you?"

Motioned with his hand, she relented and came forward, bringing her foot to rest on the seat beside of him as he winched, purple already forming on two of her toes, "Jesus Charlie, what happened?"

"IhititonaboxearlierwhenIwasmovingstuff," she rushed all of the words together in hopes he wouldn't probe her any further.

No such luck, "you did what? I'm sorry I don't speak gibberish."

She sighed, "I hit my toe on the corner of a box earlier when I came back to the apartment…forgot it was there."

Snatching her foot away, she scowled when he started laughing, "see that's why I don't tell you stories," she mocked.

He was in pain, but not enough that diminished his reflexes. His arm shot out and gripped her wrist, hauling her until she stood in between his legs and he could cup her ass through the fabric of her jeans, "ok fine…I won't laugh," he huskily answered.

Oh no, they were back to that suffocating sexual tension she was trying to avoid. It seemed like it was inevitable, but Charlie wanted to remain firm.

Of course her mind turned to jello when he lifted her shirt enough to expose her tan stomach to him so that he could leave lingering kisses around her skin. Threading her fingers through his hair, she pushed her stomach forward so he wouldn't have to strain as much, mewing when he nipped at her hipbone.

She didn't even feel the shirt gliding up her body up her arms rose up on their own accord and it was being pulled over her head.

Bass scooted his body closer to the edge of the couch, breaking their connection long enough to carefully pull the tattered piece of cloth off of his body.

Charlie couldn't help her wandering eyes, taking in the sight of his usual muscular body, now covered with dirt, sweat, and blood he hadn't been able to scrub off. It shouldn't turn her on as much as it did, but she could feel wetness pooling between her legs as Bass went about ridding her of her pants, leaving her bare before him.

Underwear became an optional thing these last few weeks, including bras. Charlie hated wearing bras anyway so anytime she was with Bass she went without one.

Kissing right above where she wanted his lips the most, she moaned in approval. She didn't mean for it go any further. He really was in a lot of pain, but he was doing a fairly decent job of distracting her with his mouth determinedly locked on one of her breasts, as one hand kneaded her ass.

Somehow, without her knowledge, he managed to get his pants off, freeing his firm erection, and only grimacing a little in the process.

"Bass you're in a lot of pain, this is a stupid idea," even she didn't believe the bullshit she was spinning.

He moaned when she tugged at his hair, yanking her until her throbbing pussy lined up right with his rigid dick, "I'm going to be in more pain if I can't be inside of you."

Charlie didn't need anymore convincing, just like Bass predicted. She reached in between them, taking his cock in her hand, coating it in the wetness already overflowing from her pussy, before finally sinking down, whimpering when he was all the way in.

Allowing some time for her to adjust to his length, he pushed her hair over one shoulder and began sucking on her collarbone until she started moving up and down on his dick.

The pain he felt before all over his body was nothing in comparison to the pleasure he felt when he was inside of Charlie. He forgot all about the pain as he clutched her hips, vigorously pummeling her pussy into his dick as he rose up to meet her, thrust for thrust. He was going to hurt after this, but it would be worth it to see the way her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Sensing that it was becoming more painful for Bass than it was for her, she shoved at his chest gently to make him relax against the back of the couch, "just sit back," she winked, going back to rocking slowly over his dick.

Something about just being able to enjoy the show made his balls twitch. He highly doubted he would be able to just sit back for long, but he would give it a go.

It was a very good effort that would've lasted longer…had Charlie not started to gyrate her hips in a circular motion, breasts bouncing as she sped up the pace, alerting him that she was close.

Reaching up, he rested his hand on the curve of her spine, encouraging her to fall into his chest as she maintained her painfully cruel movements. The muscles in his forearms flexed as he wrapped them tightly around Charlie's back, plunging up into her tight pussy.

Moaning into his ear, she shuddered and jerked, orgasm ripping through her, "fuck, god, Bass…cum for me baby."

He had never heard Charlie call him pet names, that was more of Bass' thing, which allowed him to let go of the last remaining shred of control he had. Tugging at her hair he cried out, coming apart beneath her, "ohhh…shit, fuck….Charlotte."

She rode out the rest of her orgasm as she could feel his juices shooting up into her and felt him coming down from his high. Breathing ragged, she laid her head against his chest, not caring that they were both filthy and covered in bodily fluids.

Whining from the pain that had returned after their sex, Charlie laughed, lifting her head to look at his face, "I told you this would make things worse."

Smugly he couldn't help but smirk up at her, even through the pain, "yeah and I told you it was you that wasn't able to stop…not me."

Rolling her eyes, she moved off of him, pushing roughly on his chest, "yeah, uh huh…keep telling yourself that," she called out to him as she disappeared into his bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a shower, I smell like that nasty bar," he heard her snickering.

He gave himself a boast to get off of the couch, smiling brightly when he saw her standing with the shower curtain open, a smirk playing on her lips, like she expected him. Pain was inevitable, suffering was optional, and all for that was worth it for Bass.


	19. That Damn Ugly Christmas Sweater

For the most part, her toe healed nicely, especially for such a study box she stubbed it on. She was just thankful everything was put up so there were no more instances where she could hurt herself. She already tripped over and ran into enough boxes to last a lifetime.

And Bass laughed, every single time. He did it to agitate her mostly, and he himself had done it once or twice. Although he never told Charlie, she would never let him live it down.

It didn't take as long as she expected, especially not when she actually made Bass assist in the helping process. What took even less time was her adjusting to being there, living there. It felt natural from the moment she took over and claimed, more than half of his closet and drawer space.

The good thing about them, there wasn't much arguing because they knew one another, better than they knew themselves. Charlie could tell when Bass didn't like something, and vice versa. She knew what Bass was willingly to part with in order to make space for her, and the things he couldn't part from, she accepted.

Likewise, Bass had to accept that god awful, ugly ass picture of himself wearing the ridiculous Christmas sweater Charlie forced him into as punishment. He couldn't even really consider it a punishment at the time, it was worth it to see Charlie's face. Maybe now it felt more like a punishment because he had to enduring looking at it everyday before going to sleep and upon waking up.

She insisted it be in the bedroom because it made her smile. Bass thought it was really just because she enjoyed torturing him. That was definitely some of the appeal.

Scooping up her blanket from the bed, she paused as the picture invaded her peripheral vision. Giggling to herself, she bundled the blanket, carrying it out into the living as she plopped down on the couch, relishing in the fact she could take up as much room as she wanted.

Bass left earlier for the bar, Miles was having a big shindig there, and Charlie was supposed to come. She just couldn't bring herself to get dressed. The last thing she wanted to do was go out tonight. New Year's Eve or not, she was perfectly comfortable sitting at home, watching the ball drop in her pajamas.

Surprisingly Bass didn't fight her on it for some reason, which she was grateful for. He only dropped a kiss on her cheek and said he would be back later after the bar closed and everyone went home.

Flipping through the channels she quieted down when she heard, what sounded like footsteps outside the front door. Instantly on her toes after the door flung open, she grabbed whatever was closest in case of an intruder. That thing just so happened to be a figurine Santa not packed away yet.

After the whole debacle with the falling tree, Bass told her to just forget about everything else and go sit quietly somewhere. She assumed that meant he would finish putting everything up, but since there was still dangling garland around the fireplace, and random Christmas decorations around, she obviously assumed wrong.

Miles came sauntering in as though he owned the place, only flinching back when Charlie brought the Santa decoration over her head as if to strike. She wasn't thinking, nor taking in her surroundings. She was only concerned with stopping the person.

"Jesus Charlie, what the hell!"

Following through with the swing, the Santa connected with the air, brows knitting in recognition of his voice, "shit Miles. Didn't your mother teach you to knock?"

"Pfft, this is Bass' house kid, he frowns on knocking. Besides, I've been barging in here long before you decided to weasel your way in," he jokingly threw as she lowered the weapon.

His eyes trailed down until they connected with the object.

Miles erupted into laughter, "are you serious right now Charlie, has living with Bass has taught you nothing? You picked up a Santa decoration to club someone with?"

She could tell he was criticizing her carelessness. She smiled to herself when an idea popped into her head. Charlie chucked it at him, satisfied when he grunted in pain after the porcelain made contact with the upper part of his thigh.

"Dammit Charlie," he moaned.

She peered up at him innocently, "what? You made it sound like it wouldn't hurt. I just wanted to test it out and see."

"Yeah, well mission accomplished, it hurt like a bitch. Now if you're happy with yourself, get dressed and let's go," he started shooing her further into the house.

She complied instinctively, before whirling around with a confused look, "wait what? What do you mean? Get dressed for what, didn't Bass tell you I was staying in tonight?"

He nodded vehemently, "oh yeah he told me, and I told him bullshit. Said I'd make you come, even if I had to carry you over my shoulder in your pajamas. Had to do it many times when you were a kid, although you're a bit heavier now than you were then."

She feigned outrage, "are you calling me fat?!"

Miles just chuckled, "nice distraction kid, but not good enough to distract the master. Go get dressed or you'll be showing up to the bar looking like that."

She groaned, spinning back around on her heels, burning a hole into the carpet as she all but stomped her way into their bedroom.

When the door was almost fully shut she heard Miles' annoying voice calling out, "also you have 10 minutes so get a move on."

"10 minutes, I can't get dressed in 10 minutes. You're getting me up for disappointment from the start," she loudly mumbled, voice echoing into the living room where Miles was rolling his eyes.

"You could get dressed a lot faster if you shut up."

She did shut up. But not because Miles told her too. She was hopping around trying to throw on pants while shoving her hands through a shirt at the same time. She wasn't a multi-tasker.

She could hear him outside the door, shuffling around the room, tapping his foot impatiently on the carpeted floor until she couldn't take it any longer. She didn't even look in the mirror before she left, her apparel was the least of her worries at the moment.

"Let's go, let's go," he turned on his feet, not waiting for her to catch up as he let the door close behind him on the way out.

She groaned, grabbing her keys and wallet as she locked up the door behind them. She had never seen Miles move this fast. Hell she didn't even know Miles came equipped with this speed. The fastest he ever moved was in efforts to get more beer.

When they arrived at the bar everyone was already either slightly tipsy, or well on their way. There was also a significant amount of sober people in the crowd to make sure everyone got home safe and sound.

Charlie found Bass' muscular backside immediately, casually standing by the pool table in the back room. Hunched over racking the balls gave Charlie a nice view of his firm ass. She could stare at that glorious sight all night long, it was almost worth getting dressed for.

Until she heard Miles burst her bubble, "geez Charlie, could you please not eye fuck my best friend while you're standing right next me."

Instantly her feet gravitated towards Bass as she heard Miles calling out, "hey where are you going?"

Saucily she turned around, "going to eye fuck your best friend while I'm **not** next to you."

She chuckled hearing him huff in annoyance, but Charlie was only looking at Bass as his head snapped up. He would know that voice anywhere, plus he knew Miles would succeed in getting her out of the house, even if she didn't want to.

Bass could've persuaded her, or pissed her off enough until she conceded, but he figured Miles could be the one to get yelled at this time.

"Well, well, well," he straightened up, smirking at her as she crossed her arms over her chest, "look who decided to show up. Thought you had a date with the couch all night."

She rolled her eyes, "I would have. Had it not been for some asshole who sold me out and had Miles do his dirty work, just to avoid getting yelled at."

Bass laughed, she knew him too well.

When she sauntered over closer to him, he collided her body into his so only she could hear, "I don't mind the yelling, especially when the hot makeup sex follows."

"Mmm," she mumbles, lips dangerously close to his ear, "is that so? Well none of that will be happening tonight."

Instantly she pulled back with a grin still on her face, while he was wearing a sour expression, "if I have to stay out until after midnight the last thing I would want to do is have sex. Maybe you should've thought about that before dragging me out. I could've been at home, in bed, taking a nap until you got home."

"Ah hell," she heard Bass exclaim loudly when she turned her back on him, going to sit down at a barstool on the side.

The rest of the guys watched as Charlie walked away until Bass turned on them, raising his pool stick in a threatening way, "don't even think about it assholes."

A few of them were friends of a friend, meaning they didn't know Bass well. Jeremy on the other hand, rolled his eyes and laughed, "Just because you aren't getting lucky doesn't mean we don't have a chance."

Bass threw his head back in laughter, "by all means Baker, give it your best shot. I might even give you a boost up when she knocks your ass on the ground."

Baker recoiled, looking over to Charlie who was engrossed in conversation. He shook his head lightly, deciding against it. She had both Miles and Bass wrapped around her little finger. Obviously she was a force to be reckoned with, and Baker wasn't that mental.

Throwing themselves back to the pool game at hand, they forgot about the two lover's display earlier, but every so often Bass would glance behind him. He just wanted to see her smiling face, the glow of the lights illuminating her hair even brighter than usual.

At first he hadn't been too happy about showing up alone, but he got used to the idea when he starting shooting the shit with his friends. He thought it would be nice for them to spend some time apart, and that he wouldn't even notice her absence. But as soon as she walked into that bar, he hadn't realized how wrong he was.

She was always at the back of his mind. A lingering thought that always seemed to slowly seep into his brain. He hadn't realized how just a smile from her pretty face was enough to warm his heart. Just a quirky playful glare was enough to incite a roaring laughter from him.

Bass shook those thoughts from his mind when Baker nudged his shoulder, bringing him back to the game for the umpteenth time that night. His head was not it, but that didn't mean he wasn't kicking ass. He and Miles were always good at playing pool, they spent enough time as kids practicing, and maybe a few times hustling people for money. One person happened to be their good ol friend Jeremy, which was why Miles wasn't allowed to play with them tonight. They were only allowed to play separately.

Occasionally Charlie could feel Bass' gaze on her, the corners of her mouth twitching up into a smile automatically. She busied herself with Priscilla and Aaron while he finished up his game.

"Where are the t—twins tonight?"

Out of habit her mouth started to form the word terrible, but now every time she said it Danny gave her a disapproving look. He had really gotten attached to those two. She felt like a dog being conditioned out of its bad habit.

Priscilla smiled, while Aaron just looked nervous, "they're with Danny tonight. They keep pestering us about spending time with Uncle Danny."

Aaron sarcastically mumbled, "Yeah I'd want to stay with a babysitter who let me jump off a roof too."

Without missing a beat, Priscilla snorted, "Wasn't it you who had a brief Evel Knievel phrase growing up?"

Red color rushing to his cheeks Aaron tried sputtering a response, but the words plummeted off his tongue in silence.

Bass chose that moment to interrupt the conversation, "you? An Evel Knievel fan? I would've never thought it."

"That man was basically defying the laws of gravity okay," Aaron defensively crossed his arms over his chest.

Everyone had a good laugh at Aaron's expense, and even Aaron couldn't deny the hint of a smile threatening to break out on his face.

Bass discarded the pool stick earlier in favor of using his hand to hold Charlie instead, kissing the top of her head as her eyes fluttered closed.

Priscilla looked at her closed eyes with a knowing smile, glancing up at Bass with the same expression. His brows furrowed, but he said nothing.

Priscilla was oddly perceptive. About any, and everything, "come on honey," she tugged at Aaron's hand, smiling when he easily complied without asking any questions.

Bass shook his head at Staypuft. He wanted to comment on how soft he had grown, like a puppy holding a damn kitten. But then he looked down at the magnificent woman in his arms and took everything back. He was no better than Aaron, he was practically putty in Charlie's hands, and he didn't mind it one bit.

"Are you even listening to me?"

She realized he was staring down at her face longingly, so she started to talk about classes starting up in the spring. Quickly realizing he wasn't paying her any attention, she started rambling about anything until his eyes focused in on her lips.

Shaking his head, a smile rose across his lips, "nope, not at all."

A hint of a grin spread across Charlie's face, letting the conversation drop between them.

Turning their attention to the flat screen TV mounted on the wall, she could see crowds of people fighting their way through the streets of Times Square. She had always wanted to go, at least once in her lifetime, but seeing the mass sea of people was enough to deter her.

The announcers prompted everyone it was almost time to start the countdown anticipating the ball's slow descent. It felt less special every year because it was habitual and routine. Charlie was a fan of neither of those things, preferring spontaneity.

"And now it's mine turn to ask if you were listening, because clearly you aren't listening to a damn thing I'm saying right now. I could've been saying I've actually been using you this whole time to get your uncle. I could be in love with Miles and you'd never know because you aren't—"

"Listening?"

She grinned up at him, "I've been listening to your incessant rambling for the past 5 minutes Bass. I just enjoy hearing you confess your true feelings." She teasingly grinned at him, "It's not like it wouldn't be believable, you being in love with Miles."

Lip curling into a snarl, he jokingly glared at her, "well I was going to say something to alleviate your worries, but since it's so believable…"

He went to unwind his arm from her waist, missing the warmth instantly she jerked on his arm and rolled her eyes. Her heart felt a painful stab when he advanced in his efforts to untangle himself from her.

The fear on her face was enough to stop him in his tracks, "Charlotte I was kidding, but I really do have to say something."

The breath she was holding quickly escaped the prison of her mouth. But the paranoia left her eyes, only to be replaced by shock when he fumbled for something in his pockets.

Producing a small, black, velvet box, he sat the beer down on the table, dropping to one knee directly after.

Charlie still couldn't say anything, couldn't even move. It was Bass who sought out her hand, wrapping his around hers firmly, "okay so I can't stay down here long, I'm not even sure the last time Miles swept this pigsty. Plus I'm getting old."

A laughter bubbled to the surface of Charlie's lips as Bass smiled, relieved he got some sort of reaction out of her frigid statuesque self, "it's really soon considering you just moved in, but that's why I'm doing this. You moved in, and the next day, it felt natural. Like you belonged there this whole time. Like you were apart of the house, the foundation holding the whole thing up. I've loved you, since even before the holidays…but I am pretty thankful for Miles' big mouth and that damn ugly Christmas sweater for the opportunity to tell you. There's no one I want to spend the rest of my life with more than you, even if you did go a little nutty about the holidays, stealing trees, and then kicking the poor innocent things."

At that Charlie playfully glared, seeing as how both of those things were his fault, nevertheless, she didn't once interrupt. She knew it was hard enough for Bass, putting his feelings out on the line. She wanted to make it easier on him.

But if he would just stop talking she could say yes and move on to the kissing part.

"They say at the end of the year, you should be doing what you want to continue doing in the New Year, so that's what I'm doing. I want to spend the New Year with you. Hell, I want to spend EVERY year with you. There's not a lot left for me to give, but what I have, everything I have, has always been yours from the start. You don't have to say yes—"

"Bass," she whined, "this is taking forever can you just hurry up so I can say yes?"

He faltered for a minute before the words sunk in, "you're saying yes?"

He tried to stand up, but Charlie's other hand shot out and pushed him back down, "whenever I get asked the damn question," she tapped her foot impatiently, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Bass chuckled, opening the box to reveal the most beautiful ring Charlie had ever seen. It was simple, shiny, classic, and so very her.

"Charlotte Matheson, would you do me the honor and marry me?"

She shook her head, "no."

Seeing his face she quickly threw in the rest, "but I will do US the honor because it isn't just you who is getting something out of this Bass. I'm getting you, and that's an honor in itself."

The words rushed out of her mouth as all the air left Bass' lungs. He didn't have time to fully stand before she was propelling herself into his welcoming arms.

Holding her tenderly to him, he breathed in the scent of her hair, nuzzling his face in her neck when he heard a bunch of hollering and clapping the background. He assumed they were looking at the TV screen, but he was surprised to see them all staring at him.

How the hell did they know? Bass himself didn't know he was going to propose until he saw Charlie tonight. He always carried the ring around in his pocket because he knew there would come a time when it felt right, and he wanted to be prepared.

Letting Charlie go, she too turned around to see them all warmly smiling at her, even Miles who had to throw in his two cents, "about damn time, we've been pretending to watch this stupid ass screen for the last ten minutes. I told you to take things slow, not fucking glacier speed."

Charlie's brow furrowed as she turned to Bass, "Miles knew?"

It wasn't Bass who answered, but Miles, "god no, this idiot over there didn't even know," he jerked his head in Bass' direction.

"Then how the hell did you know?"

Miles laughed, "Bass you've been my best friend since we were kids, you've been acting squirrely for days now. Plus I saw the look on your face when she came in."

"And maybe Priscilla hinted at it," he quietly mumbled the last part, wanting everyone to think he was intuitive on his own.

Bass looked over at her, corner of her mouth in a smirk as she shrugged her shoulders, "I'm just surprised you waited this long to be honest. I was starting to think Charlie would be the one who proposed at this rate."

They all erupted into laughter, even Rachel who was still coming to terms with the whole thing. The most important thing was, Charlie was happy, she could see it shining out of every pore on her body. She reminded Rachel of the luminous angel tree topper they used to have when the kids were little.

No one cared anything about the 10 seconds left on the countdown, the TV was background noise for them as everyone moved around, congratulating them. They only stopped when it was at 3 seconds, the guys voice on the TV blaring through the bar.

The ring found its permanent home on her finger as Charlie twirled it around, the smile never leaving her face. He wanted to let her enjoy her moment, but he also needed to kiss her right now before he exploded.

Taking her face in between his rough hands, he caressed her cheeks, placing a light kiss on her lips. Charlie crossed the line and then some, throwing her arms around his neck, tightly molding their lips together until they had to break apart for air.

"Happy New Year Bass."

"Happy New Year, Charlotte."


End file.
